Monkey In The Middle
by Peter the Muggle
Summary: Before he was Master Monkey, he was Chan Kong; an immature, irresponsible drunk of a slacker. This is his story as he learns valuable lessons and what it means to be a man. Rated for language and violence. Updated sporadically.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: As promised, I'm going to try and do a story arc about Monkey's story. He's probably the most neglected Kung Fu Panda character in all of fanfiction, not counting Zeng, Vachir or the other extras. This is the reason why, unlike all my other chapters so far, this one will have more than one chapter. Monkey is often neglected because we never really got to see much of his personality in the movie. Even the "Secrets Of The Furious Five" short stories didn't give much of a background about him. I'm going to try and give him a solid backstory, since I believe that Po, once again, had made Monkey's actual story more palatable to the kids. That said, enjoy the fic guys!_

_Disclaimer_: I don't own Kung Fu Panda or any of it's characters, except for the ones I made up. Plot is mine, but I based it off some of Jackie Chan's movies, as a tribute to the guy. Voice-acting Monkey is probably the safest and least painful role he's had in quite some time!

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"Don't you have a leash for him?! Damn it Lei, this isn't the _first_ time he's done this!"

Chan Lei kept his head bowed down, nodding apologetically. His neck was really starting to hurt but the restaurant owner, a former fighting dog named Hong, was already angry enough as it is. The old hound was still wheezing wearily, having just screamed and yelled at Lei earlier.

Both were standing at the entrance of the eatery, its canine owner standing in the door frame. He was wearing a white undershirt and blue trousers and over this, he wore a simple white apron. He held a wooden spatula in his hand, a deadly and painful weapon (from Lei's personal experience, anyway).

Hong gave a combination sigh-scoff at the bowing golden langur in front of him. Lei worked for him as a cook and waiter, having taken the two jobs for increased pay. He really was a good guy, industrious and helpful, but his brother…his little brother, Chan Kong, was quite frankly the biggest troublemaker their little village had known for some time, give or take a _dynasty_.

Lei, neck still aching, finally raised his eyes to meet old Hong's own beady gaze. The folds on the dog's round face (for he insisted that they were NOT wrinkles, thank you very much) made it somewhat difficult. The simian made sure not to squint his eyes, as if he was looking for some miniscule target. He made sure to lower his eyebrows and to make his lips as thin as possible, to show that yes, he was incredibly, unbelievably, _may-Quan-Yin-strike-him-down-if-he-was-lying_, so very sorry for his little brother.

The old dog seemed to calm down a bit. One look back at his restaurant threatened to re-ignite his fury, however.

Tables were smashed; not really unusual anymore.

The bottles of rice wine and grape wine, all consumed or broken. Ironically, most of them had been drunk _during_ the fight. Kong was practically fueled by the stuff whenever he was engaged in one of his oh-so-many brawls that nearly always took place, unfortunately, in _Hong's Homestyle Cooking_ restaurant.

There was a huge hole in the floor, AND his staircase had been torn down, apparently with _bare hands_! He still had a hard time believing how they managed that one.

"I'll give him a good talk when I get home. How much did he have to drink?" Lei asked mechanically, his tongue already used to asking the sentence.

"Judging from _this_?!" Hong yelled again, gesturing to his demolished eatery. The single remaining lamp chose at that moment to fall and crash from the ceiling.

Lei winced visibly. "I _told_ him, no more drinking or fighting! You gotta _believe_ me Hong, I went home to him and Wen after I got off my shift. We all went to sleep after dinner. Next thing I know, he's _gone_!" he pleaded, hoping that the damages he would undoubtedly have to pay would still leave enough of his paycheck. Maybe he could sell some of his spare waiter uniforms? He really wasn't that fond of the green and yellow vest he wore with matching cap and trousers.

Hong gave a low growl, which sent his employee wincing visibly again.

"I point you back to my earlier comment about the _leash_."

"Knowing Kong, he'd probably gnaw off his own foot so he could go out drinking again." Lei muttered, chuckling mirthlessly. The old dog rubbed his temples before speaking again.

"You know I'm gonna have to dock your pay for about two months_,_ right Lei? I'm not even gonna make you pay for the _wine _no more." Hong said testily, removing his apron and throwing it over a nearby bench.

As bad as Kong was, the kid didn't actually start the fight, this time around anyway. A group of local thugs had gone in to cause trouble last night. They threatened Hong, his customers and had started getting violent, when the langur bravely (or drunkenly) challenged them to a fight. As he remembered the events from last night, Hong decided to _fire_ the barkeep who had served the wine.

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It had been hard to imagine Kong, who was still young and growing, standing any sort of chance against the thugs' leader, a huge gorilla named Bolo. The huge ape had been demanding free drink and food when the much smaller langur had had enough.

"Ey! You there! Shtop causing trouble, azz'ole!" Kong slurred, getting up from his table. He wiped the wine from his lips, wobbling slightly on his feet.

The gorilla's nostrils flared angrily at being called names.

"Little punk thinks he's a _tough guy_, eh boys?" he rumbled to his minions, who cackled maniacally. No one had the stones to challenge their leader, not even in the deepest trenches of drunken stupor. Yeung Bolo was over three hundred pounds of muscle and had an infamously short temper. He wore no clothing on his upper body, showing off his muscular trunk. On his wrists, he wore leather bracelets, lined with iron spikes. As a final touch of intimidation, a leather strap went around the waist of black trousers, similarly lined with spikes.

Bolo's gang decided to enjoy the show, as their leader cracked his huge knuckles threateningly .This stupid punk was going to the bone-setter tonight, no doubt.

With a mighty roar, Bolo charged, using his muscular shoulder as a battering ram. Kong leapt high into the air and grabbed hold of the swinging lamp. His much larger opponent spun around and jumped to try and reach him. His short legs, however, did not give him the needed height to grab the snickering langur.

Most of the customers threw some money down on their respective tables and made a hasty exit. All of them knew what happened when Chan Kong, the infamous troublemaker, was involved.

"Aww, whatsa matter? Baby can't reach?" Kong continued to taunt while hanging from the lamp with his tail. The remaining customers, those who hadn't run away at the first sign of trouble, took this baiting as their cue to leave.

Hong, who had been watching the spectacle from the kitchen, prayed silently for a happy ending, particularly for the structural integrity of his restaurant. He quickly barricaded himself in with a small table and began calling out for the gods.

After another failed jump, the gorilla grew visibly frustrated at his opponent's constant snickering. Interestingly, the langur continued to quaff down the remaining wine from the bottle he grabbed on the way up. Giving up, the ape yelled at his gang. "Get 'im boys!"

One of his thugs, a manic looking chimpanzee, grabbed a bottle from the various wines on display and broke it on a nearby table. Being much smaller than Bolo, he leapt on a table and jumped again to grab an adjacent lamp. He swung towards Kong, who let go of his own lamp to land on the shoulders of a huge bear. The simian then covered the bear's eyes, who began flailing about, taking out his own allies one by one. Bodies flew everywhere as the large club-like paws hit them at full force, knocking each of them unconscious.

Bolo, who had been standing by, charged again at Kong who was still enjoying the ride. The ape roared angrily as leapt for a charging tackle, only for the smaller primate to leap off the bear's shoulders, sending the two huge animals crashing into the staircase.

Old Hong, who was still hiding in his kitchen, felt his blood freeze at the huge crash he heard. He strained his ears to hear the drunken conversation.

Bolo, still dazed from the crash, got off the unconscious heap that was the huge bear and glared at his agile adversary. The smaller Kong had found an open bottle of wine and began to down it hungrily.

"You—you little bastard!" Bolo roared, swinging a huge fist at Kong. Still deeply engrossed in the bottle, the smaller primate bent his upper trunk backwards, dodging the wild swing. He supported his body with the strength of his back and hips as he continued to gulp down the alcohol, finishing with a huge burp. He pointed a skinny finger at Bolo.

"You—you—_urp_—tryin' tah get free drinksh—" he mused with a glazed look. Bolo continued to swing his massive arms, while his opponent weaved and dodged fluidly around his strikes. Unfortunately, the ape managed to get a bone shattering left hook in, sending Kong flying straight into a wall.

CRASH!

There was a large crack left on the wall after the langur's back bounced off it with a sickening thud.

Bolo was flummoxed when the smaller ape shot back up and continued rambling.

"You hav' 'ny idea how much I gotta pay for _my_ drinksh?! A _lot_!" Kong gurgled, punctuating this statement with an uppercut which sent the gorilla reeling. Bolo was surprised at how hard this guy could hit and get hit.

"Hong's always bitchin' 'bout how much of a burden I am to my brother and sister! Well, lemme tell _you_, I _know_ how much! I just can't find anything I'm good at!" the langur yelled, sending another quick punch towards Bolo who failed to dodge. The gorilla got a cut lip as a result.

With a mighty yell, Bolo grabbed the nearest table he could find and slammed it down his inebriated opponent. A shower of splinters and sawdust later, he couldn't he hear the little punk's annoying voice anymore from the heap of broken wood and nails.

He was beginning to smile satisfactorily when the langur shot up from the remnants of the table, apparently unharmed. He was covered in sawdust and looked pensive. He let out another burp.

"I mean, my brother Lei's always taken care ah' me an' Wen since we were kids bu' I don't think he's ever been a kid. Well, not like a normal one anyway. He already had a job when he was _nine _years old!" he finished somewhat proudly. He really did appreciate everything his big brother did for him and his little sister. This was, of course, barring the fact that Lei would mostly likely strangle him the moment he got home.

He didn't even want to think about what Wen would do to him when she found out. Sure, she was the little sister, but she fussed over him and his older brother like a mother would have. And certainly, no mother would want to find out that her son had been in a bar brawl. Even worse, Wen had no inhibitions about kicking him in the nuts, if it got him to stop his "drinking all night" (_--what do you think you are, a damned camel?", _in the female langur's own words.)

WHAM!

Kong's musing was cut short by another mighty punch from Bolo. This one got him in the abdomen and sent him reeling. Grinning triumphantly, the gang leader grabbed his stunned opponent by the lapel and held him in the air.

"Had enough, ya' little shit?" he roared, his grin showing off a chipped canine.

"Ugh…_BrrraaRRFFF_!" Kong responded by throwing up the his lunch and the wine he guzzled right on Bolo's mouth. The gorilla's dark face turned an ugly shade of green, giving it the color of overripe cabbage.

"Blergh! FUCKING GODS! Errggh!" yelled Bolo, dropping Kong's body on the ground. He began heaving, trying to throw up himself. Distracted, he failed to notice that Kong had gotten back up and was looking to end the fight.

The agile langur jumped up again and grabbed the biggest lamp hanging on the ceiling. Bracing his legs against the ceiling, he gave a mighty pull on the chain that held the huge decoration. His opponent was completely distracted, keeled over, still trying to expel the vile fluid he ingested. It was too late when Bolo finally glanced up, only to find the magnificent lamp, made of mother of pearl and fine strands of gold, crashing down on his head.

CRAAAASSSHHH!

After a few moments of silence, Hong finally ventured to peek out of the kitchen. Despite being angry at Kong, he still hoped the kid was alright. As he finally stuck his head out the kitchen door, all feelings of sympathy he had for the young langur were replaced by burning fury.

He ignored the usual damages that a brawl with Kong involved it usually entailed (smashed tables, broken bottles, lots of unconscious fighters) and went to look at the _huge_ pit that had taken the place of what used to be the floor of his restaurant.

Standing on the edge of the pit, Hong felt his anger flare up from his stomach to the tip of his ears, feeling as though steam was shooting out of them. In the hole, he found an unconscious gorilla, piles of demolished furniture and, to his utter horror, various pieces of his prized Giant Lantern that he had painstakingly hauled from Szechuan, strewn about.

On top of the rubble, Kong sat on a chair with table in front. Both pieces of furniture had surprisingly remained upright, the langur still drinking the wine as if nothing had happened. He let out another huge burp and raised a long arm.

"Waiter? Check, please!"

Miles away, Chan Lei's ears pricked up. He could've sworn he heard someone screaming. He sighed, relieved that both his siblings were safe and sound in their home. Apparently, somebody in town was having a bad night. He went back to sleep, thinking nothing more of it.

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**A/N: That's one chapter down :D I think there will be about two more chapters at the most. It's going to take more than a single chapter to give Monkey's character some substance, since he barely had any in the movie and the animated short.**

**Special thanks goes out to Luna Goldsun who gave me some advice on writing this chapter ******** Happy Thanksgiving to all and have a great weekend everybody!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Oh wow, this chapter gave me trouble with a capital T. I wanted to write a compelling story for Monkey, something that will give him motivation and shape him into the calm and collected warrior that we saw in the movie. He was very Zen-like in the movie, wasn't he? He's the only one in the Five that was shown meditating. His story in SoTFF was so incredibly underwhelming, just because of the utter juvenility of it all. I do realize the film was aimed at kids, but I know a lot of older fans as well, who wanted actual back-stories for the admittedly underused members of the Furious Five.**

**To Luna Goldsun: Hey, there! I decided to post this chapter now because, well, inspiration just HIT me. You're still a saint for agreeing to help me out in my story and in fact, I actually re-read some of your fics to get in the groove here!**

**To all reviewers: Thanks so much for your support guys! Seriously, it feels incredible to know that there are people out there who actually like my writing. You are my bread and butter ****

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**Knock-knock.**

Chan Wen wearily rubbed the sleep from her eyes, having awoken from the gentle rapping of the wooden door of the little cottage she and her brothers shared. She had dozed off on a small rocking chair, and made a pained face as she realized that her leg had fallen asleep. The langur felt her temples throbbing; this was already shaping up to be a _perfect_ day.

She and her oldest brother Lei had woken up for breakfast to discover that her other elder brother, and Lei's eternal headache, Kong, was gone. Lei, for some reason, had looked resigned to his fate. Undoubtedly, the screaming he had heard last night, was in fact a premonition of the upcoming disaster. He bade Wen goodbye, after promising that he wouldn't kill Kong himself if he ever found him. The female decided to stand on guard for any news concerning her delinquent of a brother, and had dozed off.

**Knock-knock-knock-knock!**

The second knocking was less gentle, and sounded…exasperated? She didn't know how knocking could sound exasperated, but this one managed to do just that.

Wen's eyelids shot wide open as she remembered the reason she was sleeping in front of the door in the first place.

"Crap, _Kong_…." she hissed as she got up. Hobbling towards the entrance, she noticed her left leg beginning to sting with pins and needles. After quickly grooming her fur and adjusting her red _qipao_, she opened the old door and was greeted by two familiar faces.

"G'morning , Wen.", said one of them, an otter, rubbing the back of his head apologetically. He wore the same (_hideous_, though she'd never admit it) green and yellow outfit as her eldest brother did at work. His face bore a crooked smile, as if he was unsure why he had it in the first place.

"Makan! Hey…" she trailed off, fearing the worst. These two obviously worked for Hong.

Kong _wouldn't_. He just trashed Hong's restaurant a month ago! No _fricking_….

"This yours?"

….way. Wen didn't even bother to hide her eye roll.

The second, much bigger figure, was an elephant, also wearing the brightly colored uniform. He lowered down his muscular trunk, as if presenting a gift to the female langur. In its coils, it held Wen's very reason for a most unrestful sleep.

"Lemme go! Do you know who I am?! Seriously, _somebody_ tell me who I am!" wailed the captive, his eyes still glazed and unfocused.

"Thanks for bringing him home, Dalip. You can put him down now." Wen said tonelessly, tempering her anger. Anger wasn't good for one's skin or heart, especially this early in the morning. Her belief in that old saying was beginning to wane though, seeing as how she and Lei were still very much alive and had good complexion, despite years of dealing with Kong.

"Really? I can?" quipped the huge beast, a smirk forming on his face.

"Yeah, go ahead." said Wen, already thinking if the supplies for a hangover cure were still in supply.

The elephant brought his captive up with his trunk so that they were at eye level with each other.

"_You_! You're an irresponsible _slacker_ and a burden to your poor sister!" he said, his arms on his hips. Makan had to bite his lip to keep from laughing out loud.

"That's enough." she said with a chuckle, turning back to go inside. Although no words were spoken, the otter and elephant followed her in the small cottage. She and her brothers had formed a friendship with these two, seeing as how they were frequent visitors to their home. Dalip and Makan would often play mahjong or checkers with her and her brother on their days off, but the more frequent reason for their visits was to bring back Kong, either after another drunken escapade or misguided attempt to 'defend the helpless', as the young deliquent so eloquently put it.

Dalip looked like he wanted to drop the drunken simian a few feet from the floor but decided to lay him gently against his smaller sister's waiting shoulder.

"There ya' go, nice and easy…" she whispered soothingly, as she supported her now snoozing brother. She gave Makan a grateful nod. "Thanks again guys."

"No problem, Wen." said Makan, taking off his green waiter's cap as he entered the cozy abode. Though small, the combined efforts of Lei and Wen kept the Chans' cottage clean. It also often smelled of almonds and dried fruits, ingredients that Wen often used to make her various confections. He and Dalip sat down on the wooden stools in front of a table, the elephant careful to sit down slowly and avoid sudden movements.

"How's the restaurant? Nothing _too_ bad, I hope?" Wen asked, propping a very dazed Kong on a small stool against a wall. She laid out a plate of honey and sesame crackers served with tea. She took a cup for herself and took a tentative sip.

"He broke through the floor."

Wen's eyes bulged out her head as the hot tea entered her windpipe.

"_A-ack_! Guh?!" she sputtered, her eyes watering. "How the hell'd he manage _that_?"

"Heh, you and Hong had the same reaction. Lei too, actually, this morning. Kong's lucky Lei didn't kill him on the spot." Makan explained through a bite of honey cracker. Wen's stunned expression didn't change. She began gesturing wildly to her older brother who was still sitting amazingly steadily on the stool.

"B-but, Hong _reinforced_ those floors! He made it so Dalip could do friggin' backflips on them! Er, no offense, Dalip."

The elephant gave a small nod to signify that no offense was taken. He breathed heavily and sipped a bit of tea, moving his trunk to the side to avoid spilling the beverage. He was silent for a few moments before speaking.

"Look, Wen, how much longer are you and Lei gonna coddle him? He's sixteen for the love of Buddha! In my family, that was the time when you got up off your ass and became a _man_." he said evenly, glancing sideways at the dozing monkey.

"Was that how old you were when you traveled here?" Makan asked his larger friend, his curiosity piqued. Dalip only talked about his family occasionally, usually to reveal some strange custom he and his brethren practiced. Makan and most of the other townsfolk usually jumped at the chance to learn more about the stoic giant.

"No, I was fourteen when my brothers decided to get me _lost_ in a forest." he replied, not disappointing his audience. "I think I celebrated a few birthdays in there."

"But, you're twenty-four _now_, so…" Wen began, tentatively. She couldn't fully grasp the timeline. She had known that Dalip was not Chinese and that he had began working as a waiter for Hong's Homestyle Cooking about five years ago. Most people had no idea how he had gotten to China in the first place.

"As far as _you_ know. Maybe one day I just said, 'Screw it, I'm twenty-four'." the elephant said with narrowed eyes, finishing his tea with a slurp.

Wen gave a small smile, deciding to let the matter go. Her gigantic houseguest usually resorted to strange jokes whenever he wasn't comfortable talking about himself anymore.

"You know, maybe Kong would find something he's good at if he got out of the village more…" began Makan, tentatively.

"Somehow, I highly doubt that. Our village here is one of the more peaceful around, and he still gets into fights. You really think he's gonna leave his damned stupidity the moment he steps out of here?" replied Dalip with a huff. He did manage to look apologetic when he looked at Wen who stayed silent. The female langur looked deep in thought as she popped a cracker in her mouth.

"Dalip's right. If there's one thing we know about Kong, it's that he never walks away from a fight. He'd get into a brawl over someone calling him names. And truth be told, we generally have good folk around here, but he still gets into brawls."

Despite herself, she inwardly laughed at the hypothetical scenario of Hong deciding to expand his restaurant outside the village, Kong deciding to travel away from home, and end up destroying another branch of Hong's Homestyle Cooking.

Wen sighed through her nostrils. As much as she loved her brother, he was a lot of work to deal with sometimes. She admired Lei for being such a benevolent….

**WHAM!**

The three sober occupants of the household were startled by the wooden entrance being slammed open. Bathed by the outside sun, the figure that stood in the doorframe looked as menacing as a demon from Demon Mountain.

"Where is HE?!"growled Lei, brandishing a cleaver. He was breathing heavily, having just run a few kilometers from work. He had requested his boss if he could take his lunch early. Lunch, as he defined it in this particular instance, was kicking his brother's ass.

Dalip and Makan remained seated, already used to the show that was about to take place. Wen immediately stood up and ran towards her eldest brother, waving a placating hand to calm him down.

"_Shhh_, it's okay, I heard what happened to the restaurant. It's…not SO bad, right? At least no one got hurt too badly, right?" she said quickly, watching as her brother's shoulders began to relax. The white-knuckled grip on the large cleaver was still very disconcerting, though.

"I _really_ don't think that was what Hong was thinking about when he said he wanted a second floor to the place." Lei grated out. He turned his gaze towards his younger brother, who looked as though he had finally regained his wits. "Do you have any idea what you've just _done_?"

Kong, to his credit, looked extremely guilty.

"I…I'm sorry bro. It just happen—"

"Don't you give me that shit! You disappeared in the middle of the night to do what? Huh? Go out drinking again?" Lei yelled, the cleaver in his hand shaking dangerously.

"Shhh, he just got fired from his job…" Wen whispered, rubbing Lei's back. Kong looked ashamed at himself as Lei's eyebrows came together in a frown.

"Again? How do you screw up a job painting houses?" he yelled again, truly astonished. It seemed for a while that trouble followed Kong wherever he went. Now, it was beginning to seem like Kong created his own mischief for his own kicks.

"One of the customers, man, you should've heard the _things_ he said about you, and me, an' Wen! He said you weren't good enough to take care of us, that you were just a kid like us. He said Wen would never get married, that she'd die and become a hungry ghost. He--he said that we were just like our parents." he explained, his voice growing quieter as he remembered the events quite clearly, ending up with him punching the nosy client in the nose. While he and Wen had never known their parents, Lei was old enough to remember how they had ended up as orphans.

From what Lei could, and would, tell them, their father had a habit of going out and looking for a good time, usually with women other than their mother. Lei would always end the story with an ominous "_One day, she had enough_.". Kong had vague memories of his older brother burning a few articles of clothing. From the embers, the toddler Kong had seen a white silk robe, stained red and torn in a few places.

The fact that both their parents' belongings had not been packed up or taken away was enough to give both him and his younger sister nightmares for weeks after they had first heard the story.

Lei, who was eight years old at the time, fought tooth and nail to keep the three of them from being sent to the orphanage in Bau Gu. He insisted that he be allowed to become their legal guardian and provider, bravely ignoring some of the older folk making bets on how long he and his siblings would survive without parents. Needless to say, he would be a very rich man today, had he decided to take them up on those bets.

The oldest member of the Chan household drew a calming breath and looked pointedly at his younger brother. His grip on the cleaver had loosened somewhat and he had a somber expression on his face.

"Kong, you can't let stuff like that get to you, every time somebody says it. You're the only other man in our family and gods know, you have got to start _acting_ like one!" he said, a pleading note in his voice that had both his siblings wondering.

"O-okay. I'll shape up…" Kong stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck. He always felt worse after drinking; the guilt he felt afterward was much worse than the worst hangover he had ever experienced.

"You'd better. I—" Lei hesitated briefly before speaking again "I won't always be here, you know?" He met Dalip's eyes briefly before quickly turning them back on Kong. The younger langur, much more alert now than when inebriated, caught the motion but decided to say nothing of it.

"I promise, bro. Cross my heart and hope to--" he eyed the cleaver still clenched in his brother's fist. "—er, you know what I mean."

Lei realized his still present grip on the kitchen utensil turned weapon and quickly remembered his duties. "Crap, Hong's gonna _kill_ me if I don't get back soon!" He made his way to the door, followed by his two co-workers, who were similarly fearing their employer's wrath.

"Did you have lunch yet?" Wen called after her brother, procuring a bean-sprout _siopao_ from her clay oven. Lei whirled around and gratefully accepted the white bun, taking a large bite out of it.

"Thanks, sis. See you later!" he said through a mouthful of bean sprouts.

"Thanks for tea, Wen!"

"Yeah, great as always."

Wen smiled sweetly at Dalip and Makan. "Anytime you two!"

The door was slammed shut, none too gently. Wen grinned again. She had begun clearing the table when the three returned and fixed a warning glare at the other occupant of the house. Kong, who was sipping some tea, looked incredulously at them.

"What? I haven't done _anything_!"

Dalip crossed his massive arms over his chest and huffed. Makan did the same, but Kong found it much less threatening.

Lei took two long fingers and gestured them towards his eyes, before pointing them at Kong.

"I'm watching you. Don't ask how, but believe it. Big Brother is watching _youuuu_….." he said menacingly.

"Stop that! You're creeping me out!"

**SLAM!**

Wen chuckled to herself as she continued cleaning up the plates and tea cups. It was sort of endearing to see her older brother act his age once in a while. Only Kong could really get him to do that. Kong sat silently on the wooden stools, his face scrunched in deep thought, as his sister bustled in the kitchen adjacent to the guest area.

"Hey, Wen?", he called at his sister, who was busy rolling wheat dough in the kitchen.

"Mm?"

"What do you think Lei meant when he said he wasn't always going to be here?"

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"Man, Hong is gonna have a fit if we don't get there soon! It's almost the lunch rush!" Lei panted, walking swiftly, keeping one hand on his waiter's hat to keep it from flying off. If he ran, he would undoubtedly cause some unneeded panic in town, as well as lose the hat. Makan didn't bother replying, his tongue already beginning to loll out his mouth.

Dalip kept pace with his two smaller companions, not feeling the least bit tired. His huge strides more than covered the distance that Lei and Makan would both take twenty steps to make.

"When are you gonna tell them, Lei?" the elephant said quietly.

Lei's walking almost immediately slowed down. Dalip was typically curt and straight to the point, as always.

"In a while. It's not even a sure thing yet. Just some rumors from some other villages…" he said, keeping his voice even.

"Wen will figure it out eventually. Kong, when he's not drunk as all hell, is reasonably sharp. That little 'I won't always be here' speech was a bit of a giveaway, don't you think?"

"I just don't want to worry them, that's all!" he replied, beginning to feel irritated.

"It's just a matter of time, Lei. A message from the Emperor's bound to arrive here any day now." Dalip warned, an edge in his voice.

Makan was getting worried. His two co-workers, and friends, never, _ever_, fought.

"Well, I plan on enjoying the days before that as fully as I can, without worrying my family." Lei quipped with a grin, not matching his somber tone.

TO BE CONTINUED

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**A/N: And there's the second part of this story arc! I never imagined it would take this long to do Monkey's story. Don't get me wrong, it's still fun as hell to write ******** I made a few movie references here: Dalip's line about 'putting down' Kong was taken from Ghostbusters 2, delivered by the awesome Bill Murray. The other reference here, which I should have explained in the first chapter, is Monkey's given name; Jackie Chan, who did his voice, was born as Chan Kong Sang. So again, another tribute to the guy.**

**What's Lei not telling his brother and sister? Will Kong finally grow up and stop drinking and getting into fights? Is Dalip really twenty-four years old? Two of those questions will be answered next time, true believers!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer : Nope, don't own it :( OCs and plot are mine though.  


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"Five more orders of fried rice and chili shrimp, and two more bowls of egg drop soup! Chop-chop!"

Hong nodded in affirmation as he threw the needed ingredients in the wok, the plume of smoke rising from the hot iron. The old canine really found his 'battle-folds' (again, NOT wrinkles, he insisted) to be quite the blessing. In his younger days, the loose skin helped him shrug off attacks that would otherwise send other opponents writhing in pain. These days, those very same folds, the ones around his eyes in particular, helped keep the stinging smoke from irritating his eyes.

"Man, business has really picked up, eh chief?" said the other cook in the room. Lei cracked open a single egg into the soup he was making, watching as the white and the yolk began to form creamy streaks in the broth.

Hong gave a bark of laughter, continuing to stir the ingredients in his wok.

"Yeah, your brother actually did me a _favor_ this time!" he replied with a smile. It had been a few weeks after Kong's last rampage in his restaurant and he had been ready to close down the place permanently. It was just too much work and too much money to be spent rebuilding. In a stroke of genius, his three faithful employees had suggested that instead of rebuilding what was destroyed, he could just roll with it.

He had doubts about this initially, but a few days of cleaning up and picking up a splinter or two, and he had re-opened Hong's Homestyle Cooking, now with a new underground area. The crater that had been created from Kong's brawl had been turned into what was essentially a basement, complete with a hearth and a bar that served drinks. There was even a _stage_ for musical performances! Hong considered himself incredibly lucky to have an elephant as a waiter; Dalip used his massive strength to haul large bricks and logs to help dress up what used to be a hole. After a few decorations on the new walls, and the fireplace lit, all of them agreed that there was a new cozy feeling to the place.

The remainder of what had been the first (and, previously, only) floor of the restaurant had been fitted with banisters for the safety of those who chose to dine in the area. The patrons also had a clear view of the stage from where they were seated. People were instantly drawn to the new place. After all, they had never heard of a restaurant offering meals and a show at the same time! What was previously only enjoyed by merchants and nobles could now also be enjoyed by farmers and peasants, within a reasonable price.

"Four more orders of spring rolls, guys! Extra chili sauce!"

Makan's voice broke through Hong's reverie as he continued to cook. Lei shouted his affirmation of the order as the woks hissed in the kitchen.

"Hey Lei, I got good news!" the dog said while plating an order of chili shrimp.

"Whatsa't boss?"

"You're still getting your paycheck after all. The way business is going right now, you might even get a _raise_!" Hong replied, amused at the dumbfounded expression on the langur's face.

"That's great news, boss!" Lei said, genuinely happy. The strange heaviness he felt in his chest, he could not describe, however. Suddenly, his usual energy in swirling the wok around faded slightly. This feeling of unease must have made itself evident on his features, since his employer inquired about it.

"Hey, you feelin' okay? Thought that news would make you happy!" Hong asked, a quizzical expression on his face. This made his small black eyes almost literally disappear in the folds of his face. Lei smiled, feeling the heaviness go away. The great thing about working for the old fighting dog was he always managed to cheer his employees up, even if he didn't know about it.

"Later, boss. It's only a few hours till closing time anyway." he replied crisply.

They did not talk again for the remainder of the night, except for a few shouts of order confirmation. Hong was confused at the mechanical movements that Lei was now showing. He was working as efficiently as ever, but the young simian appeared deep in thought.

Suddenly, it hit Hong. There were rumors that were floating around, the ones about the Emperor and his army currently fighting to drive the Manchurians out of their country once and for all. It was the Imperial Navy who had been tasked with this mission, their members commanded by a select few from the Emperor's personal guard.

The dog shook his head as he continued to throw ingredients into his stir fry. All this bad mojo would affect the food he was cooking. Lei was right in saying that matters like this should be discussed out of the kitchen.

* * *

It was silent now as Hong's Homestyle Cooking closed for the night. The namesake of the restaurant was currently in the kitchen with his three waiters.

"Whoa, that's a _lo_t of dough right there, chief." Makan whispered under his breath. Beside him, Dalip removed his waiter's cap and wiped the sweat from his brow, staring curiously at the item on the counter.

It was literally a huge lump of dough, sitting on the chopping board.

"Yeah, we raked in _quite_ a bit last week, so I bought some of that special almond dough from _Gaoling _and had it delivered here." he said with a grin. Taking a wooden dough knife, he cut a generous portion from the mass, wrapped it in wax paper and gave it to Lei.

"I know Wen likes to work with the stuff." He grinned again. Lei bowed his head gratefully as he took the wrapped parcel with both hands.

"Thanks a lot boss!" Lei said. For some reason, the heaviness in his heart returned.

"You okay, boy? You been actin' a bit weird lately."

"Huh? No, it's nothing."

Dalip let out a scoff at Lei's response, his arms still crossed.

"I seriously think Hong can take it, buddy. After all, he's already been in a war or two. Am I right, chief?" the elephant drawled stoically, ignoring the incensed look on his co-worker's face.

"What're you talking about?" the restaurant owner inquired, his eyebrows coming together in a frown. He had been in a war, as a member of the Imperial army, against an invasion from the island of _Wa_, nearly two decades ago. It was not a pleasant experience by any means. All that drivel about fighting for honor was lost in a sea of blood and frostbite. In war, honor be damned; survival was the key. What he had seen made him look at people, his own countrymen, differently from then on. He was lucky to come out of the war, relatively unscathed. Although he was still quite young and in his prime as a fighter, he retired almost immediately after he got home, took culinary classes, and pursued his lifelong dream as a restaurant owner and fry cook.

Again, his musings were cut short by the voice of Makan.

"You've heard the rumors, right chief? The other villages are saying that the Manchurians are putting up quite a fight up north. They—they think the Navy and the Emperor's guards aren't gonna be _enough_." the otter said, his brown eyes deadly serious.

"Yeah, I heard." said the old dog, his voice grave. "The Emperor's guard was at Lian, just a few days back. They already recruited all the able bodied males they could find there."

"Lian? That's only a week's travel from here." said Lei, the package of dough shaking in his hands. There it was, the confirmation of all his fears. Out of duty to his country, he would have to fight. He would have to neglect his other duties, as a mere cook and waiter, and most importantly, as a brother.

"Have you told Kong and Wen yet?" Hong said quietly, picking up the almond dough on the counter and placing it in a small wooden box underneath.

"No." Lei replied, his voice almost down to a whisper.

"What?! Why not? Lei, there's no way they'll be happy if they don't know about this sooner! Why aren't you telling them NOW?"

"Cause he's an _idiot_." Dalip, who had remained silent, voiced his opinion. The comment from the giant of an animal caused Lei's features to turn stony with irritation. He strode over to the much larger creature and fearlessly prodded his finger against the elephant's abdomen. It should have been Dalip's chest, but it was all Lei could reach.

"Do you think this is _easy_ for me? I have to go home and tell my family that I'm leaving them and that I might not come back! Do you know how likely it is for _civilian_ soldiers to survive in a war? We're not trained fighters or warriors! We don't have any experience or knowledge of warfare… " he yelled again. He'd never admit it to anyone, but Lei was terrified out of his wits. Not so much for himself, but for his family. It might have sounded like he bragging if he said it out loud, but he didn't know what his siblings would do without him. As of the moment he had _no idea_ where Wen's dowry for marriage would come from. Even worse, Kong was showing no signs of even wanting anything resembling responsibility or maturity.

"You think they wouldn't _know_ that, already? Lei, you're not helping matters much if you don't tell them now! How do you think they'd feel if they found out about it, _on_ the day? Wen would understand. Kong, idiot that he is, would probably understand too, even it takes a while." Dalip replied, keeping his temper in check.

"We'll help you break the news to them, if that'll help." offered Makan, with an encouraging smile.

Lei didn't speak for a couple of moments.

"Boss, when did you hear that the Emperor's guard was at Lian?" he finally said.

"Just yesterday." he grunted. "Lei, I'm with Dalip and Makan on this one. You'd better tell them." And you two", he said, turning on his two other employees, "if you have any loved ones you wanna say goodbye to, you'd better do it now. You might not have another chance."

"Spoken from experience?" asked Lei. He was beginning to see the old fry cook in another light. The dog didn't reply, wiping the kitchen counter with an old rag. It was an unspoken message to his employees that, yes, they could leave.

The tell-tale creak of the door told Hong that his waiters had left for the night. He turned around and saw that the huge elephant was still there. The old dog sighed through his nostrils as he carried a pile of dishes over to the wash basin.

"Kinda blunt, with him weren't you?" Hong glared pointedly at the huge beast. The usually stoic beast coughed lightly.

"You know how I am." he replied with a chuckle. Carefully, he used his trunk to open a cupboard and procure a bottle of wine. Hong eyed the item in Dalip's trunk and shook his head.

"No, none of that cheap stuff." he said, crouching low and feeling for a loose floorboard. He grinned triumphantly as he pulled out a bottle of sugar cane wine from the hole. During his search, Dalip had placed two cups on the kitchen counter. Hong uncorked the bottle and poured the drinks in the cups, taking one in his hand and downing its contents in a second.

The elephant also took one for himself and sipped its contents, much more slowly.

"That's good." he said, licking his lips. "You don't usually let me drink this late at night."

"Like I said, might not get another chance." replied Hong, pouring another glass and drinking its contents.

Dalip huffed heavily. The dog was deliberately giving him a taste of his own medicine, after he had gotten all high-and-mighty with Lei. Drinking the rest of his wine, he rubbed his temples wearily.

"Hey, boss?"

No reply from Hong, who continued to drink the wine, nodding in approval at its taste.

"Boss, come on—" Dalip growled. This didn't seem to affect the still drinking canine in the least. The elephant sighed wearily.

"_Dad_." He whispered the word so low, that drop of a needle could have drowned out the sound. Despite this, Hong's ears pricked up and he smiled.

"Yes, son?" he replied, amused at his adopted son's discomfort. Dalip had always been shy about letting his emotions be seen by the public, even as a young teen. He had found the huge fifteen year-old shipwrecked during one of his travels around China and had taken him in. The boy spoke no Chinese then, relying on body language and incoherent noises to communicate with him. Over time, he began to teach him how to read and write, as a parent would to their child. The boy learned quickly, but still rarely spoke, preferring to keep to himself. A lot of villagers were wary of the strange boy, as he looked like no-one they had ever seen before. Despite this, Hong insisted that he be put to work as a waiter for the restaurant. While it had improved his social skills somewhat, being a waiter for hungry, and sometimes annoying, customers had toughened his hide, figuratively speaking, anyway. As he grew into adulthood, Dalip found that he was far more impervious to pain than most other townsfolk. Hong was pleased to find that his adopted son had turned out to be a normal, albeit somewhat stoic, man.

A few moments of silence ensued as Dalip searched for a word to say to the old cook who had taken him in. He finally raised his cup.

"Thanks, Pop. For everything." he said, his voice much more unstrained this time. He poured more wine into his cup and gave some to his father as well.

"No problem, m'boy. Give those Manchus hell out there." replied Hong, his aged eyes crinkling as he fought back tears, watching his son step out the door to go back to the house they shared. Hong poured himself one more cup before locking up his prized restaurant.

There were six days left before they got the official message from the Emperor's guard.

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**A/N:** ** Some notes on the chapter; Lian is just a name I made up for this one, it's not a real village that anyone knows of. Sorry if the chapter's a bit short, but I promise, the real meat is coming up in later chapters. Monkey's really getting quite the attention from me, huh? Eh, his VA deserves it. **

**On another note, this is not meant to be historically accurate. Far as I know, Japan ("Wa" is it's earliest recorded name in Chinese literature) didn't invade until the 17****th**** century. As for the Manchurians, well everybody else is doing Huns or Mongols. Just wanted this to be a bit different, is all. Tell me if it's a good call, ayt?**

**Please review guys! They really do help the ol' self-esteem, and if I suck, then I won't get any better if you don't tell me how, right? XD **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I always forget to do this -_-;; Anyways, I own nothing but the plot and OCs. Dreamworks owns the rest!

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Lei inhaled deeply and savored the aroma of dinner, shrimp dumplings with chili and lime sauce, and fried rice with egg and bean sprouts flavored with soy sauce. While dinner at the Chan household was rarely a communal event, he had managed to get off work early today. Wen had almost immediately sold out her homemade confections in the village and Kong, for once, had decided to stay home. Lei believed it was due in no small part to the vegetable chopping lesson he decided to give Kong as they helped Wen prepare dinner; he smiled remembering how his younger brother's eyes had gone wide as he made swift work of the carrots and snow peas with deft strokes of his kitchen knife.

Kong took his chopsticks and speared a shrimp dumpling on one of them. He grinned at his brother.

"Whoa, this looks great bro. Almost kinda like we're eating in a restaurant!"

"Do NOT spear the food please." Lei said, crossly. Kong had always had trouble following proper table manners. As a youth, he had made sure to instill proper behavior into both his siblings. He was met with limited success, when it came to Kong, at least.

"Thanks for cooking for us, brother. How'd you get Hong to let you off work so early anyway?" Wen asked through a mouthful of rice, chewing daintily.

"It's almost winter so the restaurant's not gonna be able to stay open as late as it used to. Not a lot of folks are willing to freeze their butts off just to snack on some lo mein." he replied with a chuckle.

Lei inhaled deeply, mentally bracing himself. He really hated the Emperor right now, and didn't give a damn if he ended up on the tip of Needle Mountain in Hell for thinking such unholy thoughts. Clearing his throat, he thought of a good lead in to the inevitable confession.

"Hey Kong, you like to fight, right?"

Kong froze midway through stuffing a dumpling in his mouth. His eyebrows furrowed at the strange question from his brother. A disturbing thought was that Lei had finally had enough and this feast was a last meal for him, before his brother finally snapped. He eyed the window, figuring that if he tucked and rolled as he jumped out….he'd probably break both his legs. Deciding to accept his fate, he speared both his chopsticks on his bowl of rice.

"Whaddya mean? I—I guess…." Kong began warily.

"You, uh, you wanna learn how to—you know—fight, like, really well? You'll also get some basic schooling along with it… " Lei said, forgetting to admonish Kong again for his table manners. Time and again, he would remind his younger brother that the chopsticks standing vertically planted in the bowl of rice resembled the sticks of incense that were usually burned in a funeral, as a ritual to placate the dead. This time however, Lei was much too worried about other matters to be concerned with etiquette.

"I don't understand." The younger langur was quite confused at the sudden encouragement from his elder brother who usually abhorred violence.

"I, uh, wrote some kung-fu schools and one of them wants to accept you as a student. Their master is coming here so that he can evaluate and interview you." Lei said with a grin. He had heard stories about the Jade Palace, residence of none other than Grandmaster Oogway and Master Shifu. Both figures were considered living legends in the entire country, even _gods_ in some areas. He figured that if Kong lived with them long enough, some of their good influence would rub off on his slacker of a brother.

'_Yeah, and if I hang out with Dalip just a bit more, I might get taller. Maybe grow a trunk and tusks too.'_ came the bitter thought.

Wen smiled happily and gave her oldest brother a one armed hug. She turned and gave her other, still dumbstruck sibling a hug as well.

"Wow, you hear that, Kong? You're going to learn _kung fu_!"

Kong, for his part, was still slightly shocked at the sudden news. He had all but forgotten about dinner and seemed to be thinking about something.

"Lei, where'd you get the money for this?" he finally said. "I—I mean, even the cheapest schools out there have some kind of dowry so they can keep their place running." He removed his chopsticks from the rice and laid them on the table, apparently remembering the manners his brother instilled in him.

"Hong gave us advanced pay for about five months and I figured, you know, I'd get you something worthwhile." Lei rubbed the back of his neck somewhat sheepishly.

"Why would he give you advanced pay for five months?" inquired Wen, her eyebrows knitting together. She knew the old dog was quite generous, some might say too much for his own good, but this was above and beyond. The female langur felt her breath hitch in her throat as something clicked.

"Lei…oh my gods…." she said, her voice quaking slightly. She reached out to touch her brother's hand. Lei felt a huge weight lift off his chest. He loved his sister for being as sharp as ever and together, they could break the news to Kong that…

"…Hong's _dying_ isn't he?!" she squeaked. Wen couldn't bear the thought of the old cook dying. He had just given her some almond dough too!

Lei felt the grains of fried rice he had just eaten turn into gravel in his stomach. Of course, it wouldn't be that easy. He gave his sister a soothing pat on her hand.

"No, no, sis, take it easy. Hong's alright." Lei said, his voice hollow.

"So what is it then?" It was Kong who had asked this time. He looked deadly serious.

Lei took a deep breath; it was now or never.

"Guys, I have to go… _away_ for a while." said the young simian, his voice tight and even. He kept one hand on his sister's and the other balled into a fist.

Nothing happened for a few seconds. After the initial silence, both Kong and Wen began speaking out at the same time.

"Huh? What's that mean?"

"What are you saying?"

Lei took a deep breath and began to explain, looking his siblings straight in the eye. The lantern they had lit for the night was giving off a faint light, illuminating his face with a grim glow.

"The Emperor needs us to fight the Manchurians and drive 'em out China once and for all. They're—"

"They've got the Guard and the Navy for that, don't they?" Kong interrupted, his voice quaking the slightest bit. He felt bile rising out from his stomach, threatening to spill his dinner out in front of the table. This wasn't real. It couldn't be. Sure, he'd heard rumors around town every now and then, but this—this couldn't happen to them.

"They miscalculated the Manchurian's numbers, I guess. Lian village was just recruited four days ago." Lei spoke again, not admonishing his brother for the interruption. "They need all the able-bodied males they can get."

Wen was silent, both hands folded on her lap. She looked like she was struggling not to cry as she reached out to touch her brother's shoulder.

"Lei, when did you--?"

"A couple of weeks ago." he replied, swallowing a lump in his throat. He hated to admit it, but Dalip was right. He should have told them earlier; _much_ earlier. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this sooner…"

The oldest member of the household felt his ears ringing with guilt. Kong and Wen didn't speak for a couple of moments.

"Well, if you're going, then _I'm_ coming with you." came the bold statement from Lei left side. His younger brother crossed his arms stubbornly, looking quite obstinate. Lei felt his ears ringing again, but for an entirely different reason this time. Despite being sixteen years of age, his brother had still not grown out of throwing a tantrum every now and then. This irritated the elder primate to no end.

"You can't." said Lei firmly. Kong opened his mouth in protest but his brother cut him off. "Not only are you underage, you've got school coming up! I heard the Jade Palace is very nice this time of year."

"B-but…what about Wen? You're going off to fight in a war, you're making me go up a mountain in gods-know-where….where's that leave her, huh?" Kong snapped and suddenly felt quite guilty for sounding like he was using his sister as a way to get his brother to stay.

"I can take care of myself." muttered the female langur quietly. It was true and it irked her a bit to be thought of as the helpless little sister; fragile and weak . She had practically mothered these two since she could walk, and here they were treating her like she would fall dead the moment they left her alone?

Lei seemed to take notice of his silently fuming sister and decided to abate her anger quickly. It was not wise, nor pleasant to get Chan Wen mad, despite the fifteen year old being nearly a foot shorter than both him and his brother.

"No one's saying you can't, but since Dalip's coming with us as well, Hong's gonna need some help in the restaurant."

"B'wha?" was intelligent reply from his sister.

"Well, you know almost every recipe in the menu anyway, and you already know your way around the kitchen." Lei said, going in for the kill.

"Only after you taught them to me." she replied modestly. "And besides, cooking for two brothers is NOT the same as cooking for a hundred different customers!"

"With Kong's appetite, it's pretty darned close, don't you think?"

Wen seemed to think about this for a while and smiled. Kong, and even Lei, both had appetites for an army. It took her the better part of ten years to be able to cook just the right amount of food, so that she herself would still be able eat.

"You really think I can do this?"

"Of course I do! Hong does too, actually. He's already agreed to hire you." Lei smiled as he hugged his sister. Well, at least that was one sibling he needn't worry about too much.

Kong, on the other hand was still sitting on his chair, his expression unreadable.

"What's the matter with you?" Lei asked amicably. It surprised him when Kong picked up with bowl of rice and hurled it across the room. It broke with a crash, scattering grains everywhere on the floor.

"This is bullshit, you know that?! Why are we even bothering with the Manchurians anyway? They haven't done shit lately!" he yelled, his fur bristling in anger. Lei calmly stood up and went face to face with his younger sibling.

"The Emperor thinks they may be planning their next move, so he wants to catch them off guard while they're preparing."

"Fuck the Emperor!" Kong yelled again.

**WHAP!**

A sharp, stinging pain spread across the younger langur's cheek as his head was thrown to the side. He had taken harder hits during one of street fights, but this one—this one _hurt_. Blinking back tears of pain, he glanced at his brother. Lei was looking at him sternly, his gaze piercing. Wen looked horrified, one hand covering her mouth.

"You can't speak about the Emperor that way, you know that right? What have I always told you?" Lei said, his tone patient. He rarely ever had to actually raise a hand on his siblings, but found it necessary to use on Kong; _especially_ on Kong. It was unimaginably difficult to discipline and act like he wasn't just eight years older than Kong; that he himself wasn't really just a kid. Although not often, he wished on occasion that he could be just a regular older brother to his siblings; an older brother that got into fights with his younger brother and teased him about girls, or taught him curse words that would make their parents blush. As _gēge_, it was he should have been the bad influence!

"Kong, don't take this against me or the Emperor." Lei finally said after a long silence. "I'm going to fight in this war, not because I _want_ to fight. I'm doing this for our country, and by extension, you and Wen."

Kong nodded once, staying silent. A remaining question was still burning in his mind. Breathing deeply, he decided to ask.

"You don't trust me to take care of Wen while you're gone, huh?" he said, his voice strangled.

"Kong, that's not—"

"No, it's okay. Truth is, I really don't trust myself either." he continued, chuckling bitterly. "Dalip and Makan—man, they were so right. I am a _burden_ to the two of you."

The young simian's fists began shaking at his sides.

"I'm the only other man in this house and I can't even hold down a job! I should be the one taking care a' Wen, and she's the one always taking care of my own drunken ass."

The young langur turned to face his older brother, but still couldn't find the courage to look at him.

And Lei, bro, I'm _sorry_. There's just not much I can say except I'm sorry, for _everything_. The least I could have done was showing you some gratitude and I couldn't even manage that!"

The shame coursing through his body made him want to jump in a river, so he could quench the burning feeling in the pit of his stomach. He found himself unable to tear his gaze from the floor. He was surprised to feel a hand on his right shoulder and another on the left. Finally looking up, he was greeted by the faces of his siblings smiling down at him.

"I'm sorry baby bro." Lei began. "I don't mean to be an ass, but you're right; I _don't_ think you're ready for the responsibilities yet."

Kong looked like he wanted the ground to eat him up. He went back to gazing on the floor. Wen opened her mouth to contest, feeling it might have been a bit much. Lei continued to speak, however.

"But just now, you've shown me that you _want_ to start." he said with a spark in his eyes.

"Huh?"

"It takes guts to own up to your shortcomings and even more to admit them out loud. What you just did—well, it's a _start_."

Kong gave a small sniffle and turned his back quickly, hurriedly wiping his eyes. He felt Lei drape a long arm over his shoulder.

"Hey now, come on. Men don't cry, right?" he said jokingly. Kong gave another quick sniffle and glared at him angrily.

"Who's cryin'? That was the cheesiest shit I've heard in my life!"

Both males gave each other a small smirk. It was an unspoken rule after all, one that Kong had thankfully picked up. No mushy-gushy feelings were allowed to be shown among men. If they were, they must punctuated by lots of cursing.

They were suddenly alerted by the sound of a higher pitched sobbing.

"W-well…I'm n-n-not a _m-man_, so—so—I'll j-just go ahead and—_and_—oh, you two!" Wen wailed as she tackled both her brothers in a massive hug. Lei patted his sister's head comfortingly, not minding her tears soaking through his shirt.

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Kong felt his eyes beginning to glaze over as he lay out on the roof of their small cottage. Although he did generally enjoy more athletic pursuits, star-gazing was a pleasure he always tried to enjoy when he could. Lei had tried to learn astronomy when they were younger with the intention of teaching it to him and Wen, but ultimately decided to dedicate himself to the culinary arts instead. He thanked his lucky stars that Lei was not so quick to give up on other skills like reading and writing; he had learned by befriending some of the local teachers and poets in the village, and begged to be tutored by them. If he had to throw in a few free orders of _siomai_ or lo mein, well then, so be it. After they had tasted the then-fourteen year old's excellent cooking, they were more than happy to indulge his academic fancy. Lei would literally come home right after the lessons and pass them onto his siblings, patiently teaching them until they mastered it. He would sleep a few hours before repeating the cycle again for the following three years. It was only now that Kong was beginning to see how fortunate he was to be literate (although Wen and Lei would sometimes jokingly argue otherwise) in a village of farmers and peasants. Just another thing he owed to his brother. He liked to think it was ironic how he was beginning to appreciate his brother, just as Lei was about to be sent to war, but the fact remained that it was not irony at work, but his own damned fault.

"Hey, mind if I join you?"

Kong sat up from his supine position and looked at the smiling face of his brother. The older langur took a seat beside his younger brother who moved aside to make room for him. They both continued to observe the celestial bodies for several moments.

Kong decided to speak first. "How long you gonna be gone?"

"Couple of months, maybe a year. Don't worry, I already paid off your lessons for a full two years. You oughtta be a master by that time, right?" Lei said, attempting to lighten up the mood.

"You'll write?"

"As often as I can. We're gonna be moving around a lot. The Manchus don't really stay in one place, so we gotta keep catching up to them."

They stayed silent once more. Slowly, Lei pointed up at the sky with his forefinger.

"Hey, see that star over there?" Kong squinted, focusing on his brother's pointed digit first and then following its direction.

"Yeah, that one? What about it?"

"I've heard some people can use it so that they never get lost. Like navigators or something."

"Really? You know how to do that?"

"Nah, just something I heard about. I'm sure you'll learn that from the Masters over at the Jade Palace. Maybe you can teach me something for a change."

"I'll remember that. Hey, Lei?"

"Yeah?"

Kong finally sat up and looked at his brother who had remained lying down.

"Take care of yourself out there, okay?"

Lei raised a fist and gave Kong a thumbs-up. He turned his head to look at his brother and gave a lopsided grin. His younger brother gave him a smile and promptly stood up to head to bed.

The remaining langur on the rooftop gave a sigh, rubbing his eyes. He took this as a sign and headed off to bed.

They were to receive the official word in but three days. Hopefully, Kong would be headed to the Jade Palace by that time.

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**A/N: And there's another part down XD Please review guys! Tell me everything you have to say; I have to confess that this story arc, for me, is uncharted territory. I don't have much experience with multi-chapter fics and drama is something I don't write much. If this came out a bit sloppy, then I apologize.**

**Ah by the way, Lei made reference to Needle Mountain here and I couldn't find a way to integrate it's explanation in the story so I'll put it here. Needle Mountain is actually part of the Buddhist version of Hell; it's literally a mountain of needles that stands in the middle of a River of Blood where the damned float around, choking on blood. It's very 'Hellraiser' if you ask me. Another thing that wasn't explained, _gēge _means "older brother". **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well, this is it; the chapter that actually ties in to the "Secrets of The Furious Five"! I had several versions of how this came to be and this one is my pick of the lot.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own nothing, except the OCs and the plot.

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**

Kong sighed as he sat on one of the stools in front of the drink bar in Hong's restaurant. He nursed his beverage for the night, a cup of delicious….water. Sure, it had been quite difficult (to say the least), to stay away from the "good spirits", but the (former) delinquent had decided to make a pact to himself. It was but a day away, until Lei's duty to fight for His Majesty (he was proud of himself for not rolling his eyes anymore, every time he thought this) and the country would be enforced. He had decided that he would show his brother that he was ready to change, ready to grow up ,and that if, gods forbid, anything would happen to Lei while in combat, his big brother would have nothing to worry about. Quickly squashing the unpleasant thought, Kong mentally wiped his brow, amazed that he had kept himself from having one single drink, and therefore one single _fist-fight_, in nearly five whole days. Townsfolk were simultaneously placing bets on how long he would last, and strengthening the structural integrity of their establishments for what they believed would be the inevitable storm after the calm.

He supposed it was natural really, and he couldn't blame them. Getting something, _anything_, destroyed and/or damaged in one of Chan Kong's many brawls and fistfights was practically a rite of passage amongst the villagers. It didn't mean they took such things in stride though; he had been banned permanently from almost every restaurant that served liquor, excepting Hong's establishment.

Taking a sip of water, Kong decided that being sober wasn't so bad. Hong's restaurant had undergone quite the change, and he was able to take in the comfortable atmosphere of the place.

He winced, remembering the first time he saw the damage he had caused. Hong and Dalip looked both ready to throttle him senseless. It was a good thing his sister was with him as she managed to placate both father and adoptive son.

It was already well into night time, a couple of hours past the dinner rush, but still a way off from closing time. Customers were present, but none of them were as demanding as the hungry dinner crowd; most of them were content to munch on a few peanuts, ordering when a waiter would come within mumbling distance. It was, for all intents and purposes, the so called 'Happy Hour'. Hong had decided to let both Lei and Makan off for the night, advising them to 'save their energy'. The old dog himself decided to leave his establishment early, leaving his adopted son in charge.

Looking over sideways, Kong's eyes settled on his companion, who had stayed mostly silent. Dalip was sitting beside him, having brought out his own gigantic, custom made chair. He was cracking open a peanut with great care, grinning when he found three nuts in the pod. Kong gave a tiny snort, finding it amusing how the elephant's gratingly cynical attitude crumbled at the prospect of a few humble peanuts. The gigantic waiter and now, current caretaker of the restaurant, popped the seeds in his mouth, savoring their taste. He looked over at his smaller companion.

"Not really your usual, eh Kong?" he rumbled, indicating the langur's drink of choice. There was a thin ghost of smile on his lips.

Well, this was weird. While by no means angry or hateful, Kong knew enough of his large friend's scathingly blunt demeanor and generally silent nature. Both were enough to keep most people at bay and Dalip was usually more than happy to oblige, rarely speaking when spoken to, and almost always curt with his speech.

"Yeah, yeah it is. Just thought it was time for a change, you know?" Kong replied, taking another sip. He tried not to frown at just how _bland_ the stuff was.

"Hmm, that's good to know." Dalip cleared his throat uneasily. He swirled his own drink, a cup of sugar cane juice before taking a deep breath. "Look Kong, I know….I've always…kinda…been….uhrm…a bit…_harsh...._"

Kong stared unbelievingly at his friend. Well, this was a first! Not only was Dalip looking quite uncomfortable, he couldn't seem to get his words out properly. Could it be that the long dormant filter between the big lug's brain and his mouth had begun to work once more?

The young langur grinned wickedly. He decided to milk this golden moment from the gods for all it was worth. Kong took another small sip of his drink, finding it much tastier now. Yep, water sure went well with a fresh squeeze of _vengeance_.

"What's that? I couldn't really _hear_ you back there… " he said, his features nonchalant.

Dalip glared at the "far-too-innocent-looking-to-be-innocent" look on the little delinquent's face, squashing the urge to crush the pipsqueak with his bare hands. Sighing heavily, he abandoned the idea. He had no place to dump the body after all, and more importantly, Lei and Wen would kill him.

He cleared his throat loudly and continued to speak.

"I was harsh on you." he finally ground out. He huffed in indignation. "_Rightfully_ I might add! You were running around, wasting your brother and sister's hard earned money on drinking and your damned medical bills after you get into another fight! Not to mention the damages they'd have to pay…."

"There is a point to all of this, right?" Kong deadpanned, feeling the guilt coming back. Trust Dalip to ruin his moment of retribution. He tried to glare at his much larger companion, but what he saw surprised him. The giant's features were looking unusually grim and there was a hint of something else in them.

It couldn't be. There was just no way.

_Fear. Worry. Anxiety. _

Kong's mind screamed that there was no way, that tt was impossible; again, while he knew the elephant _was_ capable of something resembling emotion, he always thought he would leave said "emotion-resembling things" in a tightly sealed box at home.

All those years of him, and most everybody else on occasion, making jokes about Dalip being actually a living statue had now been conclusively proven to be untrue. Of course, he and his siblings, Makan and Hong always knew about this; despite the cold and gruff exterior, the elephant had a soft spot for the few friends he had, and especially the cook who took him in. He still mostly addressed Hong by "Boss" or "Chief" at work though, to avoid the stares that would often follow, wondering just how a fighting dog became father to a young elephant.

"I guess I was harsh on you because I wanted you to _change_." the large creature finally said after a while, a sour look on his face. "Lei's always going on about how smart you are and how much potential you've got and I, well—I just thought '_no way Lei's wrong about this. It just isn't possible._'"

Kong was utterly dumbstruck. He found himself unable to look at Dalip, who had cracked another peanut open and munched on.

"You want to believe in my brother that badly?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, he was the first friend I had when I got here." Dalip said, swallowing his peanut and beginning to fiddle with another one. "Everybody else stayed away from me 'cuz you know, I ain't from around here. They all thought I was dangerous; a monster. For a while, I liked it that way."

He took a small sip from the cup of sugar cane juice in front of him before continuing.

"Lei, man, back when he first got hired here, he kept talkin' and talkin' and _talkin_' to me till one day I just yelled 'What the fuck is wrong with you, man? Why are you talking to a monster? Don't you know I can crush you with one hand?'_'_"

Kong was so engrossed in the story, he forgot for a couple of moments to ask what happened next.

"So? What'd he say?"

Dalip sighed heavily, a tiny smile forming.

"He said 'Nah, you ain't a monster. Just a bit of a weight problem.'" he snorted. "He said that he knew what monsters could be and that I wasn't one."

A few moments of silence passed between the two. Kong downed the rest of his drink, finding it quite bitter tasting this time around. Of _course_ his brother would know; he was already eight years old the night they became orphans.

"Dalip, I need you to do me a favor."

"Hmm? Whatsa't?"

"I need you to be a monster. Out there, I mean."

The elephant's features darkened considerably. "What's that mean?"

He was surprised to find a fiery glare coming from Kong.

"In that war, be a monster to everything and everyone that will show any sign of hurting my brother." he said darkly, finishing off his glass of water. He bade Dalip goodbye, not waiting for an answer.

The towering beast seemed to think of this for a few seconds.

"You bet." He raised his glass to the simian's retreating form. With slight surprise, he realized this was the first time in a long time that Kong would be heading home completely sober; not dragged home by him and Makan, but on his own two feet.

Maybe the guy was starting to change after all.

* * *

Strolling through the lantern illuminated streets, Kong's mind was in a buzz. It wasn't the good kind either, the nice, warm buzz he got from drinking booze. This one came from the flurry of thoughts entering his head. What would it be like in the Jade Palace? It was mere hours away until his interview, and he had no idea how to prepare. He continued to stare at the gravel road, the natural minerals in the rocks mimicking a mirror image to the stars in the sky. He sighed heavily, quickening his pace. Maybe he could still catch some of Wen's awesome noodle soup.

His thoughts of delicious soothing broth were interrupted by a large shadow looming over the stony path.

"Well, well, lookie what we've got here!" came the deep, amused sounding voice. There was a hint of sadistic glee in it that put Kong's highly developed "_This-is-going-to-hurt_" senses on overdrive. Daring to look up, he felt his mouth go dry.

"I don't want any trouble, Bolo." he said, bravely staring up at the smirking face of the huge gorilla. He tried to remember the dumb _chi_ and breathing exercises Lei tried to teach him; he focused all his energy on his lower lip not to quiver. Bolo snarled silently and shoved him, sending him back a couple of feet.

The few remaining townsfolk still awake in that time of night saw this and steadfastly ignored the commotion; both Chan Kong and Yeung Bolo were quite known for destruction of property in their own respects. Seeing the two of them _together_ in one place must have been the equivalent of seeing a tornado and an earthquake happening at the same time.

A satisfied smirk came over the much larger ape's features. So, it _was_ always the quiet ones! He always figured anybody who was that wild and destructive while under the influence usually led another life as a 'meek and quiet' type.

Judging by the destruction this guy had caused that one drunken night, Bolo was positive the little hellion was secretly a plank of wood or a _pebble_ or a _bucket_ or something, during the mornings.

He grabbed Kong by the throat and pinned him to a nearby wall. Bolo grinned, showing off several missing teeth, a result of their previous encounter.

"You don't want any trouble? That's too bad. You're in a shit-load of it right now!" He reared one muscular arm for a mighty punch.

Kong ducked quickly out of the way, hearing the spot where his head had just been crumbling into dust. The powdered stone coated his fur and went into his nose and mouth, making him hack and cough.

"Not so tough now, are ya?" roared Bolo, sending many a villager running back to the comfort of their houses. Some peered out their windows to witness the fight.

The gorilla charged at Kong and began to throw out one bone-snapping punch after the other. His speedier opponent ducked and weaved, completely avoiding the more erratic strikes.

"Look"—(dodge)—"man, I can't do"—(duck,dodge)—" this right now! I've got a really big interview tomorrow—" **WHAM!**

Stars spun around in Kong's vision as an uppercut clipped him in the chin. He began wobbling unsteadily on his feet but managed to regain his balance. Hissing in pain, he nursed what was sure to be a broken jaw, and spat out a wad of blood on the ground.

"You're _dead_, you little shit!" Bolo yelled triumphantly, preparing to deliver another flurry of attacks. He charged yet again, showing no signs of being tired; if anything, seeing his opponent's blood seemed to motivate him even more.

Kong tried his best to dodge the attacks, all the while trying to placate his opponent. This guy was ruining everything he worked so hard for; the worse thing was, it was probably his own fault for doing who-knows-what to the guy when he had been piss-drunk. His musings were cut off by the sound of his own voice yelling out in pain as he felt several of his ribs shatter under one angular strike. The brutal action was punctuated by malicious laughter from Bolo, who was cracking his knuckles with relish.

"Man, that was _weak_! How the hell I ever lost to you, I'll never know!" he sneered at his prone opponent.

Through the pain, the smaller primate knew exactly how he beat the huge thug previously. It was the _booze_ of course; when he drank, he became a different animal, a different being. When inebriated, he would find himself a watching in amazement, seeing his body move in ways he never thought possible. While it was true that his species lent itself to a certain degree of agility, it was near impossible to defeat seven armed crocodile gang members, or destroy an entire tavern with nothing but his fists, feet and his bottled rage.

Rage at being thought of as a worthless orphan, not unlike his wicked parents.

Rage at not being able to do anything to help his long suffering siblings.

Rage at himself when he saw the look in Lei's eyes the first time he had come home drunk, covered in cuts and bruises; it was the same look his brother had when he saw him burning their parents' blood stained clothes as a toddler, all those years ago.

The look of utter horror on his brother's face waned over the years, replaced by frustration and irritation at his actions. This was usually followed by chasing him around the village with a cleaver.

The look had lessened. But it never faded. The little flicker of horror and hopelessness would always appear on his brother's face for a few seconds, before it would disappear so quickly that he'd convinced himself that it was never there in the first place.

Now, his brother was going to war; a real, full fledged war against a threat to their country. And all Lei was going to carry to the battlefield were his less-than impressive fighting skills (it was true; even Wen could throw a stronger punch than his peace-loving brother) and memories of his little brother _failing_ at everything he had ever tried to teach him.

Kong coiled himself into a tight ball, trying to shield his face from Bolo's vicious attacks. It would be so easy right now to run into the liquor shop and grab a bottle. A couple of drinks, and this guy would be toast. But he thought about coming home, inebriated once again, beaten and bruised once again, most likely having completely demolished an establishment or two, once again.

No, he decided, that wasn't an option. He wanted to send his brother off with re-assurance that he, the immature, irresponsible slacker that he was, was ready to be a _man_. And if it took a few broken bones or a busted lip, he figured it was worth it.

"Take THIS! And some of THAT And how 'bout a little of THIS!" came Bolo's yells of sadistic glee, breaking through Kong's thoughts. Judging from the numbness of his limbs and the dull headache, the young langur figured he must have taken quite the beating. Warm fluid, surely blood, was leaking from his nose and a cut from his forehead. One of his eyes had been completely swollen shut.

Breathing heavily, Yeung Bolo looked over at the battered body of his opponent. The bastard had not begged for mercy even once! It incensed him thoroughly; this little punk needed to learn respect.

He reached down to grab the unmoving langur when he was interrupted by a wizened voice.

"Excuse me, would you know of a place where I can stay for the night?"

Turning away from Kong's still form, Bolo gave an annoyed glance at the inquirer. It was an old tortoise, a small serene smile adorning his aged features. He seemed perfectly unaware that he had just walked in the middle of a fist fight. He carried simple wooden walking staff with in his hand, weather-worn after what was surely several decades of use. Wrapped around him was what seemed to be a tunic, made of simple sackcloth, preferred for use by travelers and peasants because of its cheap price and durability. A knot placed on his left shoulder kept the (somewhat unnecessary) garment in place.

Bolo coughed lightly, deciding to postpone Kong's demise for a few seconds.

"There's an inn 'round here somewhere. It's the second one on the left of the road here, you can't miss it."

The old tortoise smiled appreciatively at him, bowing lightly in a show of gratitude. He seemed to take notice of the battered simian lying still on the ground.

"What seems to be the problem here, my boy? What has he done to warrant such treatment?"

Bolo gave a sniff. "He needs to learn some respect. Now, are ya' done here? I'd like to resume my business with him, if you don't mind." he said with feigned professionalism. The aged creature gave a nod before raising a single clawed finger.

"Of course. Before that though, would you allow me to give the poor boy a drink?" he inquired, a lucid sparkle in his oddly youthful eyes. He pulled out a small flask from his tunic to indicate its purpose.

Bolo crossed his arms and glared irritatingly at the old man. This old coot was beginning to get on his nerves. He gave a nasty smile and snatched the container from the old man's extended hand.

He uncorked it and took a sip of its contents. It tasted sweet, probably fruit juice of some kind. "Ahhh….nah, he won't be needing any o' this. Now, make like a tree and get out of here, ya' old coot." He threw the bottle to the ground, not caring if he spilled the contents.

To Bolo's surprise, the old tortoise simply gave a mysterious smile. He gave another bow of gratitude and went on his way to search for the inn.

The gorilla gave an annoyed grunt; the old man threw him off his groove and now, he would have to get fired up again. But no matter, he was going to enjoy this immensely.

He turned back, preparing to administer another beating. "Now, where were—"

His words were cut off, a sense of anxiety coming over him as he saw what had happened to the flask. The bottle he had snatched from the old man had landed but a few feet from his punching bag, spilling it contents. The gray stones making up the rock path were bathed in the sweet drink, turning them from their ash-gray color to an almost jewel-like black. The dark area covered a good couple of feet, including the space where the unconscious langur's head was lying prone on the ground.

Bolo gulped. This was bad; from what he could tell after taking the small sip from the bottle, the drink was most definitely alcoholic. When the little bastard had been drunk, he and his gang had been given the worst beatings of their collective careers as professional low-lives.

There was Lim, in particular. The bear who had served as his right-hand man now had a lifelong fear of small monkeys and staircases.

Bolo picked up a nearby beam of wood, and raised it for the killing blow. Admittedly, it was a pretty dishonorable to hit an unconscious opponent but all he had to do was remember that the little bastard had vomited into his open mouth.

The gorilla smiled as he felt all feelings of guilt melt away. Swiftly, he brought down his procured weapon to strike at Kong's head.

**PAFF!**

Bolo growled in frustration as his makeshift club hit nothing but the dirt. Kong had rolled over to his side in the nick of time, avoiding the blow.

"Zzzz…."

He was snoring. Bolo felt his eye begin to twitch. He slapped a palm over the offending eyelid and could feel the little muscles still throbbing in protest. He let out an angry yell and began to attack with wild abandon.

**PAFF! WHAP! WHAP! PAFF!**

The seemingly asleep Kong tossed and turned, as if caught in a particularly riveting dream. A small amount of drool was present on his lip as he continued to snore, his body rolling to one side as the heavy wooden beam hit the ground where his head would have been.

"Arrrggh! Stop…MOVING!" yelled Bolo, going in for one final strike. He decided to try a faster, thrusting strike this time as opposed to the wild swings he was doing earlier.

Quick as lightning, Kong's feet moved together to catch the wooden club, keeping it from hitting his face. Bolo tried to pull the weapon to no avail, surprised at the strength his smaller opponent was displaying.

Bolo's blood froze in his veins. He beat the guy to a _pulp_ a while ago! This newfound strength was impossible.

"Wha' th'fuck? Can' you shee 'm tryin' to get some shuddeye 'ere?" yelled the now awake Kong. He gave a glare as best he could, trying to get his eyes to focus on one place.

Bolo began backing away. He had just wasted his strength for nothing! He was so very, very _dead_.

Kong dragged himself to his feet, wobbling unsteadily. Spotting the beam of wood, he picked it up. With a primal scream, he brought down the wooden club to his simultaneously rising knee.

**CRACK!**

In a shower of splinters and sawdust, he broke the beam in two and now held two dangerously sharp wooden daggers. He gestured with one hand to Bolo who was still backing away from him.

"H-hey, c-come on now man…" whimpered the now cowering gorilla, tripping over his feet and landing on his behind.

Kong now loomed over him, his eyes still unfocused and mind swimming in alcohol. He was looking intently at Bolo, apparently deep in thought about something.

To Bolo surprise, he began to giggle.

"_Duuuuuuude!_ I didn' know ya' were _twins_!" he guffawed.

The gorilla's mouth dropped open in shock. This guy really couldn't hold his liquor.

"Man", he continued, still holding the wooden stakes, "looksh li' he got the _looks_ eh? But don' worry, dude! Ya got the…um…."

Bolo continued to stare as Kong continued to think of what to say.

"_Duuuuude! _Sho, yer a twin eh?" he laughed. Bolo laughed nervously along, still mindful of the wooden stakes in the hands of the crazy drunk.

After a few moments, Kong finally dropped the sharpened wood, to Bolo's unending relief.

"Well, shee ya' sum other time…..er, naw, tha' won' work would i'? I' think you kinda hate my gutsh…or somethin' like tha'…" he mused quietly. With a wave he turned unsteadily on his feet and began his trek home.

Bolo was confused; why didn't the guy beat him up….or worse? He had seen the look the langur's face as he held the wooden stakes. It was almost as if he was in conflict with himself, like he had an inner passenger telling him what to do.

Or he could be just one crazy-ass drunk. Yeah, that one sounded better. Grinning maniacally, Bolo decided it didn't matter. Nobody made a fool of him and went home to tell about it!

He charged at Kong's retreating form, rearing one arm back for a punch to the back of the head. He swung and hit nothing but air as Kong ducked and slipped under his legs.

"I shee chopsticks, I shee pans, I shee…" Kong recited as grabbed the waistband of Bolo trousers and pulled down hard.

Bolo let out a strangled yelp as he clamped his hands over his, _ahem_, dignity. Kong wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"Oh man, you ruined the joke! I can't finish the rhyme now, can I?" he sighed disappointingly. It had been so hard to find something that rhymed with 'underpants', and now, it had all gone to waste!

Bolo sped off, pulling his pants up, utterly and completely defeated. "Y-you….I'll get you for this!" he screamed.

"Yeah, yeah. That's completely GROSS, by the way!" Kong yelled after his retreating opponent.

The few townsfolk who had seen the spectacle were amazed; not only had Chan Kong stood up to an enemy much larger than him, but there was almost no collateral damage anywhere!

Despite his wine addled mind, Kong smiled to himself. Not an inebriated grin or a full out maniacal laugh, but one of pride. He had no idea how he ended up drunk yet again. But when he saw himself from outside his body, holding the wooden stakes and about to do something unthinkable, he prayed to the gods for strength. Did he really want to send Lei off to war, thinking that he had raised his little brother into a _killer_?

Shuffling home, he decided to focus on happier thoughts. He was beginning to think again of his sister's cooking when he felt a gnarled claw tap his shoulder from behind.

"Excuse me—"

"Gah! Th' fuck?!"

Unfortunately, the effects of the alcohol had not completely worn off yet. He began to strike and lash at the perceived opponent, forgetting all previous inhibitions. His opponent ducked and weaved, avoiding his strikes perfectly and effortlessly.

"My, you have very impressive speed! And your fluidity is quite exquisite." said his opponent, an old tortoise. Whoever he was, Kong decided, he was good; unbelievably good. The fact that the ancient creature's voice was still smooth and even, even while dodging his quickest punch, was one such an indication. He kept the moon behind him, relying on its light to blind his opponent. It was almost as if the old man was reading his mind, already dodging the punch, the very second Kong even thought about throwing them.

"Hiyah!" the younger of the two yelled, frustration kicking in. He fist stopped mere inches from the tortoise's face, the old man having placed his foot in front of Kong's own, keeping him from moving forward.

Kong's mind began spinning wildly; he was being bested by a relic of an old man! As a final resort, he decided it was time for his newly invented finishing move. Ducking swiftly he made a grab for the waistband of the old tortoise's pants.

"Hah! Wait—huh?"

Okay, he wasn't wearing any pants. And he was still smiling at Kong. The creepy, old, _naked_ guy was smiling at him. This sudden realization jerked him back to his senses; he very nearly assaulted an old man!

"Oh shit! Gramps—oh gods, you're not hurt are you?!" Kong said, holding the (naked, eww..) old man by the shoulders, checking for damage. Never mind Lei; if Wen ever got a wind of this, she would stew him in his own blood! Dalip would probably be only too glad to help with that too.

"Fine as the weather, my boy." the tortoise replied, the mysterious smile still on his features. "I merely wanted to ask where I could stay for the night, as your friend seemed to have been thinking of some other place when he directed me. All for the better I should say; that was quite an enjoyable sparring session!"

"Er—uh, thanks, I guess. You sure you aren't hurt?"

"Quite. Thank you again for the spar." he said, putting a fist to his open palm and giving a bow. Kong was dumbstruck for a moment before deciding to mirror the old tortoise's actions. The langur was the first to move, beginning to walk home.

"Check the _Gǔ__Guī_ Inn over there." Kong called after the tortoise. "They still have some room, I think!" The old tortoise merely gave a small nod before slowly trudging to make his way to said inn.

* * *

He arrived home a little after midnight; still quite late, but a lot earlier than his usual. He decided not risk getting caught in the kitchen and in through the window of his room. Plopping down on his mattress, Kong let out a sigh of relief. Bolo almost made him break his promise to Lei and himself, at one day to go! He managed to get out of trouble but only just barely. The bruises and bloody nose would require an explanation tomorrow though; he hoped he could dream an excuse up quick.

The old naked dude was another close call. It was a good thing the tortoise knew how to fight, or else he might have seriously hurt him. He just he wouldn't run into the guy again; he looked _way_ too happy and serene to have the wind blowing freely up and over his business. Wen would probably use her selective hearing and form _"__I fought a naked old man in the street and I was drunk.__" _ from his re-telling of the story.

Actually, Kong thought, he wasn't technically naked. Some folks, like snakes, insects and as he found out now, tortoises didn't require clothing like most people. They were quite presentable in their own skin, and everyone just thought it was better not to ask.

Yeah, he'd rather not ask, he decided as he fell asleep.

* * *

A/N Part 2: Gǔ Guīliterally means "old tortoise" ^_^;; Also, I should've explained where I got the name Yeung Bolo from; he's actually a kung fu actor that appeared in Bruce Lee's iconic film, "**Enter The Dragon**". He was one of the competitors in the tournament, the really buff Chinese dude who literally folded that somebody to death! He was probably the only guy as physically fit as Bruce Lee in that entire movie and likely the only one who could've been a challenge for him. Sadly, it was John Saxon who got to kill him in the film : P What a jip! On a side note, since I've separated this story arc from my "**Furious**" series, I'll be updating that one soon as well. (shameless plug).

A Happy New Year to all!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys! It's been quite a while since I last touched this fic but I needed a little break from my 'Furious' series. Don't worry, the draft for the next chapter on that one is nearly done so you can expect an update next weekend. **

**Anyways, I decided to continue this because well, I just feel like there's more to be said. I actually already have a coherent plot for this story and I'm currently planning the ending. Again, most of this stuff is almost purely experimental on my part, so be gentle and please review guys! Pretty please? ^_^;;

* * *

  
**

The fury of sun made itself known on the backs and scalps of many a villager on that particular morning. Farmers, hawkers and even the occasional hoodlum went about their days, earning their respective livings; ready to reap the seeds of their efforts come quitting time. Yet, the wind seemed heavier this morning. The clouds seemed to hang in dismay over the little town, trying in vain to shield them from the fury of the heavens.

It was a special day for all men, young and old. It was the day when boys became men, and men became legends.

The entire Chan family was currently having a small breakfast in the confines of Hong's restaurant, wisely avoiding the outside heat. It was noon-time, and what would usually be a time when the cooks and waiters would be working frantically to serve the hungry customers, it was instead barren and quiet inside the establishment.

Hong, seeing no reason to remain in his post in the kitchen, strode over to the lone occupied table in the restaurant.

"You kids want anything?"

Lei gave a small chuckle, indicating his unfinished bowl of fruit porridge. "No thanks, boss. These peaches really hit the spot the first time around."

The young langur wasn't wearing his waiter's uniform today, having been given the day off. He wore a pair of red silk trousers and a dark brown vest.

Kong, who opted to go shirtless with green pants, gave a small smile as well and raised his glass of water. "Same here."

Wen stayed silent but gave a nod, nursing her cup of tea. She looked quite pale and the dark circles around her eyes had been haphazardly concealed with her oft-ignored cosmetics kit. Her usually immaculate clothing, which today was a blue qipao, was wrinkled at the collar and sleeves. Lei glanced over sideways and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Hong, after a nod from his employee, returned to the back kitchen.

"When's the damned Guard getting here anyway? They're supposed to come here today right?" she murmured, swirling the now tepid beverage in her cup.

"Anytime now. No need to rush me." Lei said easily.

The female's eyes widened and she began to stutter horribly. "N-no, brother, that's not what I—I didn't—"

Lei looked positively guilty. "Hey, I was just joking! Calm down, sis."

"That wasn't funny." Kong said bluntly, sipping his drink.

"Not even a little? Man, you guys need to lighten up. Especially you! ", Lei gave his brother a pointed look. "I don't know what happened, but for some reason Master Oogway wants to accept you full-on as a student. He just wrote back saying the interview won't be necessary. Talk about a lucky break."

"Awesome." Kong said, his voice not matching the statement. A low thudding sound and the tell-tale rhythmic tremors reverberating through the wooden floor of the restaurant alerted the siblings as to who was about to join them.

Sure enough, a large shadow loomed over their table, covering them all in a dark shade.

"Mind if I join you?" Dalip asked a bit hesitantly.

"Gods, Dalip, you don't have to ask that every time, you know. You're always free to join us." Wen said, motioning for him to sit down. Gingerly, the elephant picked up a stool from an unoccupied table and sat on it slowly, while Kong and Lei parted to give their friend a space on the table.

"Hey buddy. How's Hong?" Lei asked, taking a small spoonful of fruit porridge and eating it. It had become quite cold after he had all but ignored it for nearly half an hour but the licorice root and clove added in still made for a tasty dish.

"He's—he's good, I guess; wants me to take some of his weapons and armor to use." said the huge beast, his large hand patting the sheathed broadsword tucked in the cloth belt that held his trousers.

"Wow, you get to use 'Old Pao'? That's great." said Lei with a twinkle in his eye. He remembered being a twelve year old dishwasher for the then much smaller establishment. Memories of plotting with a young Dalip on getting to hold and use the beautiful weapon (that Hong kept in the knife drawer of all places) flooded his mind. He sighed wistfully and was beginning to feel quite relaxed.

"H-hey there Lei, do you want anything? More porridge? Some peanuts? Wine?" said a small nervous voice, breaking through the langur's reverie.

"No thanks, Makan. Drinking during the noon-time isn't exactly on my to-do-list." he replied, amused at the otter's behavior. He couldn't blame him though; today was sort-of a big day for the sixteen-year old as well. Being underage, he would not be drafted and was therefore not given the privilege of a day-off. Today, he was the lone waiter.

"N-no, of course not! That—that was _stupid_ of me!" the otter yelped, his voice rising several octaves. He scurried away, muttering "_Stupid,stupid,stupid…_" over and over.

"Jumpy little critter, ain't he?" observed Dalip, watching the otter rush back to the kitchen, careful not to wrinkle or dirty his pristine uniform.

"Yeah well, he doesn't need to be. I'm giving him permission, anyway." said Lei conspirationally, turning away from his siblings so that only Dalip could hear him.

"I take it he doesn't know yet." The elephant said with a small smirk.

Lei shrugged. "Nope."

"I knew there was a reason why I liked you."

Lei again let out a small bark of laughter. This drew strange looks from both his siblings which he waved off; he just remembered something funny, that's all.

"Hey Wen, you mind staying here for a bit? Me and the guys are going out for some air." said Lei, pushing back his chair and indicating for his brother and friend to do the same.

"But—"

"We'll be back real soon. Meanwhile, Makan's gonna interview you for when you start working here, okay?"

Wen raised an eyebrow, feeling something was amiss. Fortunately, she decided to let the matter drop and nodded.

Furthering her suspicions, she noticed all three males opted to use the back exit that was located in the kitchen.

* * *

Crossing his arms over his chest, Lei was sure he looked like the God of Death himself if the trembling otter before him was any indication.

"Makan."

"Y-yes?!"

The primate smiled and nodded to his two companions, while Hong watched bemused from the dish basin. Lei had decided he had intimidated the poor guy enough.

"You're a great guy. You work hard, you're honest and responsible. Where do you see yourself in ten years?"

Makan, seeming to gain a bit of confidence, stood straighter. "I'm hoping to own a business someday. I'm—I'm thinking of going into the restaurant business. That's why I took this job."

"Of course. What are your thoughts on foot binding?"

"It's outdated, not to mention barbaric. Women are already beautiful as they are and personally, I don't think they need our help with that." he said with conviction. He genuinely believed that, having seen his mother almost literally work herself to death to provide for him. If it not for his mother's unbound feet, he would surely have starved to death, since it was her that tended to their vegetable garden in his youth.

"Hmm, good. Okay mister, you have my permission."

The otter's brown eyes widened, hardly believing it. "R-really?! Wow, thanks…er, I mean, thank _you_!"

To Makan's confusion, Lei didn't smile. "Makan, I've only got one rule; that is '_If you hurt her, you hurt yourself._' Is that clear?"

Despite the utter terror he was feeling, the otter straightened his posture and looked on with a determined glint in his eye.

"I'd never hurt her; not in a thousand lifetimes."

After a few moments of stoic silence, Lei's lips twitched upward. "I meant what I said; you're a good guy. Now, I think _someone's_ waiting for her interview outside…"

The young waiter felt relief wash over him like cool water. Lei exited the kitchen followed by Dalip, who surprisingly gave him a hearty pat on the back, and tailed by Kong.

Propping the door open with an arm, Kong glanced back at Makan.

"Hey buddy, I really appreciated all those times you an' Dalip helped me home."

Makan gave him a strange look and an awkward smile. "Er, no problem."

"I've got one rule too."

"W-what's that?"

Kong smiled a sadistic grin and picked up a nearby kitchen knife. "Keep it in your pants or I'll cut it off. Got that?"

Makan squeaked nervously. "I-I got it! 'H-hurt her, or—or else you'll c-cut it off.'" In fright, he had gotten the threats mixed up. This seemed to satisfy the langur though, since he put down the knife and made his exit. Hong gave a snort of laughter as he continued to wash the dishes.

* * *

Something strange happened in that kitchen, she just knew it. Wen had noticed Makan being quite jumpy since morning and he looked even worse at the moment as he sat in front of her, holding a small piece of parchment and ink brush.

"Makan, are you okay?" she asked kindly. If she thought this might have calmed him down, it instead had the opposite effect.

"I'm—I'm fine! Let's uh, get started shall we?" he said, removing his waiter's cap. It was getting increasingly hot and the weather had nothing to do with it.

He cleared his throat and read from the parchment. "Er…sorry, procedure; name?"

Wen rolled her eyes but gave a grin nonetheless. "Chan Wen, fifteen years old."

"Experience?"

"Been cooking since I was ten."

"Will you go out with me?"

"Hmmm…well, I guess because my brother's always worked here and I wanted to…"

The female langur's eyes widened as the words entered her ears and reached her mind. Processing what she just heard, her face began to turn very red. She started stuttering and looking for the right way to convey her emotion.

"…b'wha?"

Shaking off his frenzied nerves, Makan quickly shook his head and looked at the object of his affection. He held his gaze as steadily as he could, which only seemed to cause her to blush harder.

"Chan Wen, I've had feelings for you ever since I first brought your brother home. I'm well aware of how weird _that_ just sounded but regardless, it would be my greatest honor if you would have dinner with me. Please?"

"B-but I…"

"I already asked your brother permission and he gave it. Please?"

Wen took a deep breath and looked again at the young restaurant waiter who had become a family friend over the years. Well, he was a great guy; mature for his age, polite and hard-working. And she supposed, he _was_ good-looking, in an innocent, boyish sort-of way. More importantly, he had proved that he was made of strong stuff, having been a constant ally when times got tough (a.k.a whenever her other brother would get completely hammered and destroyed something.)

Makan waited with baited breath as the seconds dragged by slowly.

"Yes."

"Huh?"

"I'd like that. Dinner, I mean."

A grin began to form on the waiter's face as he felt his heart grow wings and take flight into the heavens. "Would Monday be okay?"

Wen crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow, albeit jokingly. "Don't you have work then?"

"You mean 'we'. You got the job." said Makan, the smile threatening to split his face. His brain nearly imploded when Wen gave him a small peck on the cheek.

Quickly pulling away, the female began to blush again. "Not bad for my first job interview, right?"

* * *

The sound of a horn broke the usual bustle of the small faming village. The two primates and their friend elephant quickened their pace and followed the stampede of curious citizens heading for the village square.

Lei watched in awe as the crowd began to gather around the arriving guests. Dalip and Kong stood by his side, equally marveling along with the crowd. The villagers all halted their work, the hawkers turning down the flames under their woks and the weavers stopping their looms. Even the children looked on, their toys and games completely forgotten.

Matching sets of jade-hued armor made the battalion shine brightly under the sun's rays. Two columns made of ten men each walked in unison, giving the illusion that they were one being or at least of one mind. At the front of these columns, a soldier held a banner, on which a four-clawed dragon growled in fury.

From what Lei could see, every one of them were members of the Imperial Guard; each one born to fight and serve, raised by their most-likely military families to dedicate their lives for the safety of China. All he had ever seen in his village were rabbits, chickens and the various oddities like him, his siblings and their friends; farmers, peasants, cooks and the like. The ranks were composed of tigers, lions, wolves, bears and all manner of fearsome creatures.

From the flank, a wolf dressed in blue robes, signifying his position as a member of the Emperor's Consul, stepped out and surveyed the village with a dagger-like gaze. On his right hand, he sported a long claw on his little finger. This symbolized his status as a noble, who could afford to keep such an ornament from breaking since he never had to do menial labor. He cleared his throat and opened a scroll.

"People of…", he squinted at the writing and turned to one of the soldiers. "…where the hell are we?"

The soldier responded with a shrug.

The wolf rolled his eyes as he tucked away the scroll in a sleeve, coughing lightly into his hand.

"Hear me, citizens! It is true what so many of you have heard! His Excellency, the Emperor, is in need of your service to fight the Manchurian armies!"

This elicited loud gasps from the crowd as they began to chatter nervously amongst themselves. The wolf seemed to relish this for a while before speaking again.

"As the law requires, one able bodied male from each family must serve in the Imperial Army." , he said, procuring a scroll from his other sleeve. "The Yi family!"

Lei watched grimly as he saw Yi Len, the middle aged bear who sold calligraphy paintings from his shop, step out from the crowd. A smaller female bear beside him was trembling terribly. She held his hand in hers and looked like she intended to keep him from going forward and accepting the scroll. The painter smiled gently at his wife and gave her a kiss, before tenderly placing a hand on her round and very pregnant belly.

The wolf snorted at this display of affection. "Come on, we don't have all day."

Len slowly turned from his wife and walked towards the flanks, showing no signs of anger despite the rudeness. He accepted the scroll with both hands before bowing low.

"The Fu family! The Zhan family! The Gou family!"

The announcements continued as a male from each household went to receive a scroll. Many of them were quite young, fighting in the stead of their fathers or uncles who had already fought in their share of wars. Emotions ranging from glowing pride and heavy anxiety appeared on the faces of their wives, children and parents.

"Lei! Is that them?" Wen's voice broke through the crowd, catching the older langur's attention.

"Hmm? Oh, hi sis…and Makan!" he said, grinning wildly as he saw her sister's tiny hand entwined in the closely following otter's. Makan rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed at the attention. Hong was also present, trailing behind the two teenagers, having closed his restaurant early.

Lei gave Makan a pointed look. "So, where are you taking her on your date?"

Wen blushed again. "_Brother_, please!"

Dalip, who stood with his arms crossed, watched the proceedings. His father stood by his side, mirroring his position. He was waiting until…

"The Xing family!"

There it was; that was his cue. He made his way to the flank of soldiers, causing the ranks to look up at him. Some of the younger members' eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. The wolf also gazed slack-jawed at the towering behemoth in front of him, before quickly recovering himself.

"I was not aware that Hong had a son." he said evenly. "I take it you got your mother's looks?"

Dalip fought to keep his temper in check. This guy was getting on his nerves in record time.

Fearing that a fight might break out, Hong quickly interfered. "I adopted him, some nine years ago. I had him registered in the official records; he's a genuine Xing."

"Hmm, how very clever of you." said the Consul, his voice laced with venom. "Your wife…is dead, correct?"

The fighting dog now fought to keep _himself_ from breaking the guy's nose. "How is that 'clever'?"

The wolf gave a nasty smile. "Well you could have married again after she kicked, and raised a family. But then, your child, if you had one, would not be of age come, oh say, today, correct? Who would fight your battles for you then?"

This drew angry shouts from the crowd though none went to harm the arrogant blow-hard, for fear of being arrested. The wolf looked quite pleased with himself before noticing that the sun had apparently gone out. It wasn't night time, so how…

Hearing a growl from overhead, he glared at the elephant looming over him.

"You, my dear boy, are NOT a member of the Xing family. In fact, I don't think you're Chinese at all! Therefore, this war is of no matter to you."

The wolf turned sharply at Hong who was looking quite livid. They glared at each other for a few moments before the fry cook gave a resigned sigh. He gave a small indifferent laugh as he faced the consul with his hands on his hips.

The lupine consul sneered at him. "Xing Hong, as the law states, you are to serve once again as a member of the Imperial Army…"

Dalip snarled and strode over to where his father and the wolf were standing. "Chief…"

As soon as he had moved, several of the larger members of the platoon grabbed hold of his limbs and restrained him. A lion and an ox held onto his massive arms for dear life while a large snake coiled himself around the still struggling elephant's log-like legs.

Hong looked over at his son, motioning for the other soldiers to release him. "It's okay, son. Don't worry about me; I've still got some fight left in these babies!" He held up his fists for emphasis.

Hong returned his eyes to the wolf who had apparently finished his speech and was now holding the conscription with his name on it.

"When'd you get to be such a dick, Chen?"

Chen gave a chortle. "Hmm, I have to say, your…'son' did inherit your mouth."

Time slowed to a drip as Hong reached out to receive the rolled parchment from Chen's outstretched hand. With a final burst of strength, Dalip broke free from his restrainers' hold, sending them flying into the crowd. He then charged at the wolf.

Chen began to feel the soil beneath his feet quake and looked at the charging elephant. He was about to yell out a command to kill the huge beast who had apparently gone amok, when, to his surprise, the elephant stopped within a foot of crushing him and dropped onto his knees.

Dalip bowed to ground, his forehead touching the soil.

"Put me on the front lines. Please, I _beg_ you."

"What?" Chen said, sounding quite amused.

"_What?!_ Dalip, what the hell are you doing?" yelled Hong, rushing over and attempting to pull his massive son to his feet.

"You are an untrained and inexperienced _peasant_. What makes you think you can serve with the finest soldiers in all of China?" said Chen, smirking at the still bowing elephant.

Dalip finally stood up to his full monstrous height, making the wolf back up several steps. Several soldiers got ready to draw their weapons.

"I'll manage."

Chen looked at the huge beast. True, they had lost quite a few men already during their last frontal assault on the Manchus. As of now, the members of the Imperial Army and Navy were dwindling to dangerously low numbers and most of the remaining soldiers were either too old or too young to fight the fearsome Manchurian hordes.

Untrained and inexperienced? Maybe. Rude and impudent? Most definitely. But Chen figured, with the boy's size, he'd surely serve well to draw fire away from the _real_ soldiers.

The wolf smiled as the elephant took the scroll. "Well then, good luck to you, Xing Dalip!" He said the name in a sweet mocking tone, before turning his back and continuing to read names from the scroll.

Hong was hysterical as he and his son made their way back into the crowd.

"You _stupid_ boy! What have you done? This—this—I can't allow this! If we go back, Chen might still change his mind…"

"Calm down, chief. Remember what the doctor said about your heart."

"My heart is fine!" yelled Hong, although in truth, his heart felt anything but. "You're going to get yourself killed out there!"

"So were you!" Dalip countered. "I have the same chances surviving on the front lines as you do surviving _anywhere_ in that war!"

Lei, Kong, Makan and Wen rushed over to the still arguing father and son. The group made their way to the back of the crowd.

"Geez, man…" Lei said, looking up at his friend's face. More than anything, it must have taken everything Dalip had to bow down to that scum-sucking son of a bitch just to save his father from what was surely a suicide mission.

To everyone's surprise, his huge friend grinned. It wasn't sardonic or wry but a genuine smile. "Lei, thanks for being my friend. Maybe I'll see you in the battlefield some time."

He then turned to Makan and Wen. "Good luck, you two. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Both parties blushed.

Finally, he fixed his stare on Kong. "You've changed. That's good."

Swallowing a lump in his throat, the younger primate raised a hand which Dalip gripped in a tight handshake. There were a few moments of silence before everyone noticed Hong. The old man's shoulders were shaking, fighting to keep from crying.

"Dalip, I'm so sorry…I never should have brought you in…you'd have lived longer…"

The elephant placed a hand on his father's shoulder. "True, but I would've been miserable. Besides, it's an honor to fight."

"So you'd die for 'honor'?!" ,Hong yelled again. I told you, when I fought in the war against those invaders, there was no 'honor'!"

"No." sighed Dalip. "But I'd die for _you_, boss. Gladly."

There was stunned silence as Hong drew his son into a massive hug, struggling to get his arms around Dalip's frame.

"My boy…all grown up…."

"Er…thanks….."

Dalip looked around and saw Lei, Kong, Wen and Makan nodding enthusiastically, urging him to finish the sentence.

"…Dad."

The tender moment was broken by a loud announcement.

"The Chan family!"

Lei took a deep breath and set his shoulders. He turned to look at his brother and sister, hoping that if he stared long enough, he'd be able to carry their images anywhere he went.

"This is it guys. Wish me luck!" ,he gave his sister an encouraging smile. "Wen, you're going to do great in that restaurant. Don't worry, you've got someone else to cook for now!"

Wen wiped a few tears from her eyes and gave Makan's hand a squeeze. The otter nodded his head in understanding as Lei looked at him. He released his hold on Wen's hand and motioned for her to go to her brother. The still crying female smiled in thanks as she rushed to give her brother a long hug goodbye.

After his sister finished her goodbyes, Lei switched his gaze to his mischievous (but not anymore) brother. "Kong."

"Yeah, bro?"

"How'd you get the black eye?"

Kong rubbed the back of his head apologetically. He had hoped the injuries from the encounter with Bolo last night would slide past his brother's watchful eye but he figured he had known Lei long enough to know that wasn't going to work.

To his surprise, Lei grinned at him. "Wen said she heard you sneaking back home. As I recall, you're a very _loud_ drunk."

He closed the distance between him and his younger brother and embraced him tightly.

"I'm sure whatever happened last night wasn't your fault. I'd say you're off to a great start. Stay in school, listen to your teachers."

Kong fought back the tears that were threatening to spill from his eys and looked at the heavens as he returned his brother's embrace. "O-okay."

"That'a boy."

The crowd parted to make way for the oldest member of the Chan household. Many of them knew Lei; they had known the young man who served as father, mother and teacher to both his siblings. Most knew him more for his excellent culinary skills and as Chan Kong's long-suffering older brother.

Kong looked on as his brother wordlessly took the scroll and bowed to the consul and the soldiers. He clenched his fists tightly as it hit him; this really wasn't a dream. As of that moment, he was _the_ Man of The House, so to speak.

He resolved to keep his promise; he wouldn't let Lei down, no matter what.

* * *

"Did you pack enough clothes in there?" Wen said worriedly, running around in Lei room and folding various articles of clothing into neat bundles.

"Yep. Got some soap and bandages too."

Wen nodded quickly but continued to frantically search around the room. "Okay, good…good; how about…"

"I've got some medicinal herbs in here too." said Lei, rolling his eyes as his sister went to full on 'Mother-mode'. "Don't worry too much, sis. You don't wanna look like some stressed out old crone on your date right?"

Lei held back a laugh as he watched his sister's face steadily turn pink once again. She pouted at him which only caused him to grin wider.

"Sorry, sorry! Guess I'm milking the moment for what it's worth."

"No, it's fine. I'm actually really looking forward to it."

"Aww, my baby sister's all grown-up and going on a date!"

"_Lei!_"

* * *

Stepping out of their cottage, Lei saw that Kong had packed his belongings as well and was waiting in front of the house.

The younger primate gave him a small wave. "Hey bro. You going?"

"Yeah, the soldiers already set up camp just outside the village bounds. I've gotta get there soon."

"Oh, okay."

A beat of silence ensued. Lei smiled as he began to walk towards the end of the village.

Kong watched his brother's retreating form for a few moments before calling out. "Hey, bro?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll write as soon as I find out about those navigating stars, okay?"

Lei gave a grin and raised a thumb in affirmation. Kong continued to watch his brother walk on, the sky turning a hazy red-orange as the sun began to take its rest. He began to think about what life would be like in the Jade Palace.

Would there be other students there? Would Masters Oogway and Shifu teach him their ancient and mysterious ways?

"Chan Kong, I presume?" said a wry voice, breaking into Kong's daydreaming. He searched for the speaker but could not find him; he looked to his left and right then behind him…

The voice, who ever it was, cleared its throat loudly. Kong brought his gaze downward and was greeted by the stony face of an old red panda. He wore dark maroon robes and brown trousers. His hands were folded neatly behind his back as he began circling the young primate, one long silvery eyebrow raised in critical inspection.

The red panda finally stopped his inspection and fixed Kong with a serious look.

"Do you know why I'm here?" the old man asked casually.

Kong returned the stare with an incredulous smile. "Er…no. Do _you_ know why you're here, Gramps? Did you get lost from your kids or something?"

The primate barely had time to finish his question when he felt a swift kick swipe his legs from underneath him. The wind was knocked out of his chest as fell hard on his back.

Quick as a flash, he felt a small but surprisingly strong foot plant itself on his chest, preventing him from retaliating.

The red panda's irritated glare effectively silenced any protests that formed on his tongue.

"Such rudeness. Gods only know why Master Oogway decided to accept you, but I trust his judgment."

Kong felt his stomach calcify. Shit, this guy was from the Jade Palace!

There was a loud bang as Wen came rushing out of the house, having heard the brief scuffle from inside. She was greeted by the sight of a small old man pinning her much taller and younger brother on the ground with but a single foot.

"Sir?" she began amicably as the panda turned his gaze on her. "Er, I don't really know what my brother has done or said, but whatever it is, he's sorry for it. Aren't you Kong?"

Kong, from his place on the ground, could only give a small nod.

The red panda, perhaps placated by the female's gentle nature, lifted his foot from the primate's chest and regarded him with a look.

"I believe your older brother wrote to us a few days ago. I am Master Shifu and I will be your teacher and guardian from now on."

Kong looked visibly miffed at the word 'guardian'. He stood back up and dusted himself off. "Wait a minute, 'guardian'? I don't what your on, buddy, but…"

Once again, he didn't have time to finish his sentence as Shifu quickly reached up, grabbed his ear and pulled him into the ground. This elicited a yell of pain from Kong and a startled gasp from Wen.

"Your brother signed papers saying that from now on, you will answer to no one but me and Master Oogway." ,he declared on no uncertain terms. "He's agreed to let us beat you within an _inch_ of your life if that's what it's going to take to shape you up."

He brought his face nearer to the ground to better speak to his still struggling captive.

"From now on, you will address me as Master Shifu. Is that clear?"

There were a few seconds of silent protest on Kong's part before a sharp twist on his ear made him yell out loud.

"Yes…Master Shifu." he grated out.

* * *

**A/N: And there ya'll go! Kung-fu schools and some dance schools actually do have waivers that parents sign; it basically lets the teachers or kung-fu masters physically discipline their children, where the rule is pretty much 'Just don't kill him'. It you think Lei's gonna have a tough time in the Army, well...**


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Geez, been a while since I touched this, eh? Anyways, a huge thanks to those who read and are still reading my story and especially to those who reviewed – I really am just doing this as a stress buster and for fun. With the school work still piling up, I'm going to be updating as inspiration and time hits that special blend **__** That said, quite a few things happen in this chapter, mostly because I want to keep the pacing pretty fast from now onwards. **_

_**Thanks again to nievelion for beta-ing! Congratulations on finishing "A Different Lesson"!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and some of the OCs – the given names of the Furious Five are mostly mine, although I used nievelion's given names as well**__**.

* * *

**_

_Dear Kong,_

_How are you doing? By the time you receive this, it will most likely have been three months since I wrote it. First of all, please don__'__t hate me for signing the papers allowing physical punishment. I__'__m sure Master Oogway and Master Shifu rarely ever have to use it __–__ just be sure not to give them a reason , alright?_

_Anyway, how are things going there? Are you making any new friends? I think there are other students there as well __–__ you should try and get along with them, it always helps to have new friends.

* * *

_

"Cai Yun, _please_! He already apologized and he said he didn't mean it!"

Kong felt the large boulder behind him hit his back, the cold surface making his fur stand on end. While he was certainly no stranger to near-death scenarios – courtesy of a few angry villagers, the odd gang member, or even his siblings some of the time – he could count the few instances when he had truly feared for his life on one hand.

"I'M GONNA CUT YOUR FACE SO BAD YOU'LL HAVE A _CHIN_!"

The newest student of the Jade Palace winced at the vicious snarling and roaring coming from his colleague, and the protégé of Master Shifu, a young tigress named Cai Yun. Her face was burning red, like hot coals being stoked for the winter and her eyes looked nearly manic with rage. The only things that stood between his throat and her very, _very_, sharp claws were a green tree viper holding on to her legs while trying to calm her down and the combined efforts of a red crowned crane and a praying mantis holding onto the back of her red silk vest.

Yep, he could count the times when he felt he could actually die – _one_. The latest incident with Bolo wasn't it.

It had taken him all of two days in the Jade Palace to piss someone off, and it was just his luck that he'd pick one of the most terrifyingly powerful people he'd ever met in his life.

It had started simply enough – he arrived at the mountain after nearly an entire day's worth of walking with the old red panda (who never seemed to get tired during the trip) and was given a room all to himself before being told to unpack and get some rest. He awoke the next morning to a loud gong and was dragged out of bed before he had his wits about him. The next thing he knew, he was standing in the middle of an arena just outside the entrance to the dormitories and Master Shifu (he now referred to him as such, even in his head; his ears couldn't take much more twisting and pinching) was telling him to get ready for a sparring session.

While he initially had gripes about fighting not only at the crack of dawn, but against a _girl_ no less, he quickly realized that Cai Yun as a fighter was no joke.

Still groggy from lack of sleep, Kong was pretty sure he forgot to return the bow his sparring partner had given him – surely the reason for the silent, nearly subsonic growl coming from the female tiger's throat.

He had barely awakened, swaying on his feet and trying to get his eyes to focus, when he saw a striped fist flying towards his face. Years of street-fight honed instincts managed to let him dodge a right hook, followed by a rather vicious axe kick which cracked the floor, and followed by yet another punch that turned a nearby tree into sawdust.

Kong never could pinpoint the exact moment when her already obvious dislike of him morphed into pure and utter hatred, but it might have been the time when he ducked a haymaker and pulled down her pants.

And now, his mind cleared from foggy stupor, he could remember her face turning a bright shade of red under her fur and, after quickly pulling up her black trousers, leapt at him with a loud roar and her claws unsheathed. He ran for his life but was eventually cornered against one of the many boulders surrounding the area.

"I'm sorry! I-I just....I wasn't..." he tried meekly, his voice disappearing amidst the angry roaring still coming from Cai Yun.

"When I get my _HANDS_ on you...." the female tiger seethed murderously, as the green snake coiled tighter on her legs, obviously bracing for another attack.

_Thwap!_

A thin stick came down in a sharp downward motion to strike the angry feline square on the head which seemed to quiet her instantaneously. The holder of the stick didn't even look at her but instead directed his gaze towards Kong.

"That is _quite_ enough, Cai Yun," said the red panda sternly, having made his way from the sidelines faster than any of them saw. "He's apologized, so that should be enough."

"But, Master--!" tried the tiger again, her face still flushed from both anger and embarrassment.

Shifu turned on her with a stern glare which, again, instantly dissipated any further comments from her. He gave a nod to the female serpent still acting as a restraint for the tiger's legs and to the crane and mantis who both loosened their respective grips on her shoulders.

Finally, the red panda turned back to Kong and walked slowly, deliberately, towards him. Each step he took seemed to darken his already stormy features considerably and when he was a standing a mere foot away from where Kong was still leaning against the rock surface, he looked absolutely livid.

Kong nervously cleared his throat. "Erm...thanks for, ah, saving me....Master Shif—"

_Thwap! Thwack! Thwack!_

"Ow! Fuckin' ow! That hurts!" yelled the primate in pain, as a series of rapid strikes from the stick – no, a _flute_, he realized – held by the red panda rained down on his head.

"That (_thwap_) spectacle (_thwack_) was nothing short of _dishonourable (thwack)_ and (_thwack_) juvenile! Why, I've never – !" ranted Master Shifu.

Kong instinctively rolled up in a fetal position, as the blows continued – he was already off to a _fantastic _start.

"Stand up!" roared Shifu, halting his whipping. "Laps. Around the Valley._ Now_."

The langur shot up, disbelief apparent in his face. A protest was about to form in his throat but he immediately thought better of it.

"How many?" Kong asked, dusting himself off.

"I don't recall saying," said the red panda, turning his back again. "As much as it takes for what you did to sink in."

"What?! I didn't _do_ nothin'!" Kong yelled angrily.

This wasn't fair! She had tried to kill him and now he was the one getting punished? He dared a glance over at Cai Yun and found a small smug grin tugging at her features. It quickly disappeared however when Shifu pointed his flute at her like a sword.

"You will accompany him. Consider this your punishment for losing your temper," he said, before lowering the musical instrument turned weapon.

The female tiger nodded quietly before quickly bowing before the aged red panda.

"Good," Shifu said again, walking away from them. "Try to make it back in time for dinner – if you aren't back by then, then no supper for the both of you."

No sooner had the yell of indignation formed in his throat, when a large paw clamped over Kong's mouth. He struggled for a while before a murderous glare from Cai Yun silenced him. She dropped her paw from his mouth after a moment and silently made her way down the huge staircase. Kong didn't move as he watched the retreating forms of Master Shifu, the green tree viper, the crane and the mantis – he gave a heavy sigh as he began climbing down the stairs as well.

"Hey, wait up!" he called after the feline, who was five steps ahead of him. "Look, I'm really sorry for what happened back there. My name's Kong."

The simian looked expectantly at the striped cat as they walked side by side down the long descent into the Valley.

"Cai Yun," she replied after a long silence.

"Yeah, I gathered that. Listen – I'm really sorry for – "

"Not a problem. I forgive you," came the curt reply.

Kong cleared his throat uncomfortably. The coldness in her voice made it clear that forgiveness was the farthest thing from her mind.

"No, you don't. I don't really expect you to. I mean, it'd be kinda crazy if you did!" he laughed, attempting to lighten the mood. "I just reacted without thinking – I really didn't mean to do that. Especially not to a girl."

He was surprised when she huffed indignantly.

"What makes you think it bothers me that much anyway?" bit back Cai Yun, walking faster.

"Well, c'mon – you tried to tear my throat out."

"I just reacted without thinking," she countered, using his previous words. "It's not a big deal."

"Still, I'm sorry. I mean, my brother always taught me how to treat a girl right and – "

"So that's what this is about? That I'm _female_?" she snarled, picking up the pace. "I can take anything you dish out, and then some. So you'd better think twice before putting on the _lady gloves_ around me."

"Look, I'm trying to apologize here! You don't have to act like such a damn bitch about it!" Kong snapped, before catching himself. He had seen a few moments ago how this _girl_ could turn a rock into powder – it probably wasn't a smart idea to go around calling her a bitch.

To his utter astonishment, the tigress actually let out a laugh. "Tough guy, eh? Okay then, how 'bout this – if you can keep up with me, I'll consider all charges dropped."

"Keep up with you?" said Kong, instinctively backing up. "You wanna fight?"

"No, I mean _laps_. Master Shifu said '_as long as it takes to get it through your big, fat stupid head_', right?"

Kong exhaled loudly through his nostrils, deciding to let the embellishments she added slip.

"That means about fifty rounds, circling the entire Valley," she continued with a smirk. "If we're going to get any dinner, we're going to have to run the whole way."

"Spoken from experience?" asked the langur, enjoying the way her slightly smug expression darkened.

"I'll even give you a head start," said the tigress, ignoring his earlier remark. They had already reached the bottom of the steps and were now currently standing along one of the many dirt roads of the Valley. Several townsfolk walked about, some of them were vendors peddling their wares and others were regular folks simply enjoying an afternoon walk with friends and family.

"I don't need a head start," replied Kong with a grin. He dropped down on the ground, getting ready to run on all fours while Cai Yun did the same.

The simian grinned as a devious plan formed in his mind. Sure, it was a little underhanded, and it was possible it could get him maimed for life, but it could also give him an advantage.

"So, _white_ eh?" he said casually.

"Huh?"

"Oh, you know – I thought maybe you'd prefer _red _to match your vest," he replied, before bolting for dear life. It wouldn't take long for her to figure it out, so hopefully, he'd be well out of her reach by then.

Cai Yun crouched in silence for a moment as she analyzed the cryptic message.

What in the world was he talking about? What did the color _white_ have to do with her _red_ vest –

_Red_ vest. _Black_ trousers. _White_....

Her face started flushing again as all the blood pooled around her cheeks and forehead. Was he talking about her --?

Oh, that little _fucker_.

A few terrified townsfolk screamed as she whomthey knew as Shifu's student and adoptive daughter let out a terrifying roar and started pursuing whateverpoor, unfortunate soul had angered her.

***

* * *

_I'm doing okay, in case you were wondering. The Army's really not so bad – we get martial arts training as well so that's always a plus. Our captain is a good guy; he seems to really care about his men and he's a real people person.

* * *

_

"All right you worms, line up!" echoed a loud, commanding voice from the small clearing on which a hundred or so members of the Imperial Army had set up camp.

Lei, who had just finished unpacking his belongings, ran to take his place along the long file of soldiers who stood shoulder to shoulder (as their respective heights would allow) and stood frozen in place as he beheld the owner of the voice. It was a huge tiger, dressed in the jade armour of the Imperial Navy, as well as beige robes underneath. Even through the long sleeves of the robe, Lei could see the muscular definition of his arms which were fastened to his sides as he held his hands around his lower back. A long, red cape flowed behind him as he paced along the snow-covered soil of the camp, surveying the soldiers with barely hidden disinterest. He wore a sword around his waist and carried an ornate helmet against his side like a parcel. He glanced at them sideways, his hands still clasped around his back, and walked in slow, deliberate strides.

What was most striking about the large feline however was the colour of his fur – stark white, broken only by black stripes. Lei remembered hearing of these rare types of tigers – it was believed that once a tiger had turned five hundred years old, the tip of its tail would turn white. Therefore, the myth surrounding white tigers were that they were, in fact, immortal.

More pacing later, the tiger grinned and held one paw upwards, to silence the chattering of some soldiers.

"Okay worms, since I can't really be bothered to learn each and every one of your names, hopes and dreams –" he waved the raised paw towards one side of the flank, and then to the other. "—everyone on this side will be known to me as 'Chang' and everyone on this side will be known to me as 'Li'."

There was a moment of silence as the soldiers took the time to digest the simple command.

"My name actually _is_ Li, sir!" a voice piped up.

There was a collective gasp as some soldiers wondered who the poor imbecile who spoke up was. The white tiger immediately stopped pacing and strode over at an alarming speed to the source of the voice. The single file of soldiers parted evenly along the middle to leave a small fox standing alone, trembling as the huge feline bent down at the waist to glare at him.

From the side, Lei noticed a jagged scar running down the tiger's right eye – whatever the previous injury was, it had discoloured the eye into an amber shade while the unaffected side housed a blue eye.

The fox cowered in fear and swallowed mightily as the tiger's lips parted in a frightening smirk, a small amount of his fangs peeking out from his mouth.

"Alright, out of fairness to everybody, you will now be known as _Bok Choy_," he said in sadistic humour, while the poor vulpine soldier could only nod wordlessly.

"Right then, Li's, Changs, and Bok Choy (he glared pointedly at the fox who gulped), get dressed and unpack! We'll begin your training immediately," said the tiger imperiously before turning his back and making his way to his tent. "Oh, and I would skip lunch if I were you – I don't want anybody throwing up during training."

After these final words, the tiger disappeared into his tent. The soldiers let out collective breaths as they began to murmur excitedly amongst themselves.

"That's him, isn't it?! I mean, the white fur was a dead giveaway...."

"Forget the white fur! That _scar_ was what tipped me off!"

"Is he really immortal? I've heard stories..."

Feeling a tiny bit out of place, Lei asked a rather mean looking boar for information regarding their captain.

"What rock have you been living under?" the boar snorted, though he said so with a grin, indicating his good humour. "That there was Luo Cheng, brother; baddest sumbitch the Imperial Navy's got!"

Lei nodded in understanding, though he really still didn't get what the big fuss was about. As if sensing his doubts, a few other soldiers chimed in on their conversation.

"They say he's so fast, he can take out an entire battalion by himself!" said an excited looking housecat.

"Yeah, that's how he got his nickname you know," drawled a brown snake lazily from Lei's side.

"What nickname?" asked Lei.

The boar smiled. "_Xi Shan_ – Lightning of the West."

* * *

_Anyways, this army thing looks like it's going to be a real piece of cake. In the meantime, like I said, try to make some friends! You're going to be staying there for at least two years you know, so a nice, healthy support system will be helpful. _

* * *

Kong crawled on his belly, his lungs burning and his throat as dry as sand. The Thousand Steps seemed to stretch on further and further even as he continued to crawl, his body completely exhausted from circling the Valley some fifty odd times. Add to this fact that all the while, he was being chased by a very angry tigress.

"You....son of a bitch........treachery...._treachery_!" someone panted from behind, about ten steps below him.

The langur turned his head to look at Cai Yun, also crawling on her belly, her orange fur matted wth sweat. Both of them were quite grimy in fact; the sweat acted like a sort of glue for the dust and soil they kicked up during their little jog through the town.

Despite the fatigue and his aching body, Kong still managed a small smirk to himself. She had obviously underestimated his stamina; despite having no formal training, he was a veteran of running like hell, usually away from whatever trouble he had inadvertently caused.

Using his natural athleticism, he had climbed and flipped along the walls, jumped along the rooftops, and zigzagged through crowds – but even then, the female tiger still pursued him, never losing her momentum. While she definitely had the endurance, Kong could remember noticing that her acrobatics and flexibility were not on par with his own; this was made evident by her slightly awkward movements while they were balancing on the shingles of the rooftops.

Yet, she never stopped running; it was both admirable and frightening at the same time.

"Hey....no one....said anything.......about....mind games!" he replied back, continuing to crawl. The entrance to the Jade Palace was already well in his line of vision; it couldn't be much further now.

There was silence for a few moments, save for light scraping noises as the two students continued to crawl to their destination, hoping to be able to at least have some of the leftovers for dinner.

As his hand slapped on the stone to pull himself up, Kong felt extremely relieved to feel a different pattern of carved rock under his palm, signifying the end of the arduous journey. With one last burst of strength, he pulled the rest of his body up onto the final step.

_Plop_!

He lay on his back for a few moments, gazing up into the dusky sky. His heavy breathing was echoing around the relative silence of the mountain.

_Plop!_

A few feet from beside him, Cai Yun sat on the ground, her face turned towards the heavens as well. Her arms were to prop herself up as she remained seated for a few moments.

"Crazy....bastard...." she hissed, though with much less venom this time. "What the hell _are_ you? I've never seen anyone move like that."

Kong grinned a bit. "Thanks, I guess. So...are we good?"

"Well, I don't want to kill you anymore. Not right now, anyway," responded the feline.

"Glad we're past that," he chuckled. "Did we make it?"

"Yeah, I think so," she replied, putting a hand over her stomach as a soft gurgle came from it. "The others should still be awake, so let's go."

It took Kong a few seconds to get back on his feet, his gait still wobbly and body not at all agreeing with the sudden strenuous exertion. He rested his hands on his knees as he felt several joints pop and creak.

"You get used to it," said Cai Yun from beside him, having recovered much faster and was now standing ramrod straight. "Eventually."

Kong smiled. He'd made a new friend already!

"By the way, if you pull anything like that again, I'll kill you," said the tigress, unsheathing her claws for emphasis. "You got that?"

Kong gulped; so much for friends. "Y-yeah, I got it."

"Oh no, I don't think you do," she responded, her voice dripping with saccharine death. "See, I'm going to tear off your tail, wrap it around your neck and then hang you from the tallest tree I can find. After that, I'll salt your body to cover the smell, tie a limestone around you, and then throw you in the Yangtze River."

The young primate felt his stomach gurgling for a reason entirely different from hunger. This girl was very, very – what was the word – _frightening_. Not even Dalip, who was a hundred feet tall with two long tusks sticking out of his mouth, managed to scare the living crap out of him like this girl.

He coughed lightly into his hand. "Uhm...that was very detailed."

"I like to be thorough," she replied crisply. "Now, shall we get some dinner?"

Fully awake, though still quite tired, Kong only now began to truly notice the majesty of the Jade Palace. It really was a beautiful place and was obviously very well kept, as evidenced by the pristine condition of the wooden floors of the dormitories and the healthy looking plant life that surrounded the facilities. Various intricate carvings were present on the architecture of the sprawling compound – mythical beasts like the dragon were very prominent in the design of one building in particular, the one with the large ornate wooden doors blocking his view of the inside structure.

Cai Yun led him through the admittedly very large training grounds, offering a few curt descriptions of the various locations as they walked along.

"That's the mess hall, we eat there," she pointed offhandedly to the side, as Kong walked behind her. "And that's the Scroll Room, we _do not_ eat there."

A few minutes later, after more walking and more clipped descriptions by his taciturn tour guide, he was guided to a small hill, a few paces from the actual training grounds. On the hill, there stood a single tree, its branches stretching upwards into even tinier versions of themselves and covered in green leaves waving lazily as the night air blew past them.

"Hey, you're finally here!" called a sweet, female voice from the base of the tree. "We saved you both some rice balls with pickled plum filling."

Pausing in his admiration of the tree, Kong looked down to see the green tree viper from that morning, the one who had restrained Cai Yun. Her scales were coloured a bright shade of green, almost akin to a lighter type of jade. He noticed a rather intricate pattern of tattoos that ran nearly the entire length of her back and even up to the back of her head. She wore two ornamental lotus flowers like a head-dress and sported a cheery grin.

"You must be the new guy," she said, slithering over to Kong and lifting part of her sinewy body off the ground to meet his eyes. "I'm Guo Ling, nice to meet you."

"Chan Kong, same here," he said, finding the female serpent's pleasant demeanour a welcome change from Cai Yun's volatile nature. He made his way to sit under the tree, enjoying the pleasantly cool air surrounding them.

"Hey Ling. Where's Jien and Chang?" asked Cai Yun who also plopped down on the base of the tree to rest.

"Just went to get some water from the spring," responded the green viper, handing both the langur and tigress a rice ball wrapped in wax paper. Kong took a large bite from the fluffy white sphere and swallowed, before taking another huge chunk with his teeth.

"Hey, slow down! Plenty more where that came from," chastised Ling, indicating a small wrapped parcel of wax paper, containing what was sure to be more rice balls.

"Mmm, this is pretty good! Did you cook this?" said Kong, before taking another bite.

Ling giggled shyly. "Actually no, I can't really cook all that well. Cai Yun made it."

It took all of Kong's self control not to spit out the rice stuffed in his cheeks. The violent, frightening tigress had made these wonderful things?

"Don't look so surprised," she drawled from beside him, taking small bites from her own rice ball. "I made them originally for breakfast, but they last real long."

Kong swallowed the mass of rice in his mouth and felt the sudden heaviness that had formed in his stomach. He looked at the half-eaten globe in his hand and wondered how a relatively small amount of rice was now making his stomach bloat like he had feasted all day on Hong's cooking.

"They're my special _Combat Rice Treats_," said Cai Yun wickedly, still taking clinically small bites of rice. "They last all day and fill you up nice and fast."

The simian glared at her and let out a large burp which echoed through the night.

"Whoa, who let out the nice one?" yelled a new voice, this one decidedly male and filled with humour.

Despite the boulder in his gut, Kong managed to turn around to see the two new arrivals making their way atop the hill. One was a tall red crowned crane, wearing a wide brimmed straw hat and, strangely enough, talking to the ground. A canteen made of a section of bamboo hung around his long neck like a giant amulet, slight sloshing sounds coming from it.

Kong focused his eyes and found that the bird was not talking to the ground but a green praying mantis who was, surprisingly, the source of the deep resonating voice from before.

"Hey, new guy! You've got some skills on the ol' throat flute!" said the insect as he hopped over to join the trio sitting under the tree. "Check it out, I can burp the first verse of _Peach Blossom Journey_ by Wang Wei – "

Ling loudly cleared her throat while glaring at the mantis and using her eyes to indicate Kong.

"Ahem...sorry 'bout that," the mantis said. "My name's Qián Guānchāng, but you can call me Chang."

Kong gave a two fingered salute. "My name's Kong."

The tall bird beside Chang gave a slight nod and removed his hat. "Huang Jien, pleased to meet you," he said pleasantly.

The two newcomers took their respective places under the tree, Jien leaning against the trunk while Chang perched on a low branch.

"Hey Jien, how'd training go today?" asked Cai Yun, handing the waterfowl a rice ball in exchange for the canteen he handed her.

"Okay, I guess," he replied with a shrug.

"Did we go through the _same_ training session?" asked Chang acidly from his perch. "Man, Shifu really went crazy today! Must be his time of the month or something...."

To Kong's bewilderment, the feline's eyes sparkled excitedly. "Crazy? Crazy _how_?"

"He let us have a go on the Field of Fire today," said Chang, pausing for dramatic effect. "Except we didn't find out it was called the _Field of Frickin' Fire_ until we were _standing_ in the middle of it!"

"At least no one got seriously hurt," said Jien in a calm voice, before offering a small portion of his rice ball to the mantis.

"Yeah, I guess," said Chang, accepting the food. "And the flames _were_ pretty cool."

Ling let out a scoff. "Easy for you to say – you're not the one who got set on fire." She held up the end of her tail to show a white bandage wrapped around a good four inches of her scales.

"Damn it, I should've been there!" spat Cai Yun angrily, her rage for Kong seeming to be renewed as she gave him a pointed glare. "Instead, I was down in the Valley, wasting my time doing laps!"

She stood up abruptly and took a small drink from the bamboo canteen. "I think I might be able to get some late night training in. See you guys tomorrow."

As the striped feline made her way down the hill, Kong turned on his three companions.

"Training? Is she serious? It's night!" he whispered incredulously, afraid that she might still hear him. "Besides, it's her fault too for overreacting!"

"Don't think badly of her," said Ling gently, moving to where Kong was sitting. "She's really sweet and kind once you get to know her."

"Provided, of course, she doesn't kill you before that," deadpanned Chang from beside her, before letting out a chuckle. A glare from the serpent quickly silenced him however.

Jien moved from his spot and let out a sigh. "She's not so bad. Just give her a chance."

"Yeah man, she's pretty cool, once you get past the _claws_ and the _teeth_ and the _super-strength_," said Chang before receiving another glare from Ling. "And yeah, she's real nice. Shutting up now."

They sat idly for a few moments, Kong feeling a bit out of the loop as his three companions talked about the training regimen for tomorrow.

"Don't worry, you'll get it soon," assured Ling, as she put away the left overs from their night time snack. "Feel free to ask questions if you're feeling lost."

"We got your back buddy," said Chang, hopping along the grass blades. "After that wonderful gift you gave us, me and Jien here owe you big time!"

"Er, what gift?" asked Kong, dumbfounded.

"Well, me and Bird-boy here were debating – _white_ or _red_?" he said wickedly before a sharp whip from Ling's tail drew a pained yelp from him.

"Ow, look what you made me do, you perv!" hissed Ling, shaking her bandaged tail in pain. "And Jien! You're supposed to be the mature one!"

The crane's beak hung unhinged for a moment before he quickly shut it. "I-I didn't....he wouldn't shut up! I just answered so he'd be quiet!"

"Oh!" yelled Ling, slithering faster, her face contorted in annoyance. Eventually, the three males were left alone as they walked back to the dormitories.

"Here ya' go, man. You won, fair and square," said Chang conspiratorially, handing the bird a few_ yuan_. "I always thought she'd wear red."

"Okay, can we just stop?" begged Jien. "I don't want your money. Save it for something more useful."

"The best things in life are free, my friend," continued Chang. "A bowl of noodles? Two yuan. A new sword? Ten yuan. An image of Cai Yun in her _white_ underwear? Priceless."

"Man, it's talk like that that'll get you killed," said Kong, laughing as Jien blushed scarlet and Chang continued smiling like a mad man.

"Look, can't we just forget about it? I don't want any more fighting!" groaned the avian.

"I will _never_ forget! It's all in _here_!" said Chang triumphantly, pointing towards his temples with his pincers. "My _grandkids_ will be reminding me of my own name before I forget about this!"

***

* * *

_Like I said, we're going to be moving around a lot so this might be the last letter I send in a while. Don't worry though; stick to your training and studies, and stay out of trouble if you can help it. That said though, if anyone gives you a reason to fight, fight honourably and respectfully. You should never start a fight but if necessary, you have my permission to finish it. Just don't get carried away okay? I hear anything about ANYTHING, and I will personally kick your ass.

* * *

_

"Hey, Bok Choy!"

"Nice going there, Bok Choy!"

The fox's ears flattened against his head as he held to keep his temper in check. "My name is Li, dammit!" he hissed half-heartedly as the other men walked off laughing their proverbial asses off.

This was great – just when he thought he could finally make a fresh start....he stomped his way through the snow whitened field, shivering lightly as the mountain wind began to blow in earnest. The Captain had given them a few moments notice before the training would begin and he was already quite sure what he, and everyone else for that matter, was in for – a world of pain.

"Hey, uh, Li, was it?" came a tentative voice from beside him.

"Fuck, I told you my name was Bok – hey...hey!" the fox said, his expression brightening considerably. He recognized the langur who called his attention as one of the later arrivals while they moved from village to village gathering new recruits. "What can I do ya' fer?"

"Just wanted to know if you minded sharing a tent with me; everyone else's got their places worked out," said the langur tentatively, shivering lightly even through the rather thick black robes he wore – none of them had been issued their uniforms yet and most of them were currently wearing their civilian clothing.

"Hey sure, not a problem buddy!" replied the vulpine soldier brightly, holding out a hand. "My name's Li, but you already knew that."

"My name's Lei," responded the langur, accepting the handshake. "That was some impression you made back there."

"Yeah, thought I'd be able to keep my head down and my ass out of trouble for once," the fox grumbled though still grinning. "Looks like that Captain really has it out for me."

As it turned out, Captain Luo Cheng wasn't one to play favourites. He stepped out of his own tent a few minutes later, yelling the fast-becoming-familiar command to line up which every soldier dutifully followed. Most of the recruits stared in wonder and slight awe as the Captain strode around the snow-covered field shirtless, exposing the bare white fur and muscular torso underneath his robes – a feat few of them could comprehend as they continued to shiver even through their thickest winter robes. The feline wore simple black trousers, a sheathed sword hanging by his side.

A few more moments of striding around and waiting for the chatter to die down commenced before the white tiger faced the troops.

"Alright gentlemen, here are the basics. You are all here in this little wonderland for one thing only and that is to fight in the name of the Emperor of China. Beyond this point, we will be travelling on foot towards the southern region, until we reach the Manchurian beaches."

A few scattered grunts of approval ensued.

Seemingly unsatisfied by the response, the huge feline strode around the ranks again before setting his sights on a rather stout bull, clad in a sleeveless green vest and thick sackcloth pants. Said bull was shivering like the others but held an air of confidence even as the tiger eyed him rather disapprovingly.

"Name and village?" asked the tiger. "And no, this entire side will still be known as 'Chang' collectively," he added as an afterthought.

"Chao Gang from Gansu sir!" said the bull in a powerful voice as he stood straighter.

"Alright, Chao Gang from Gansu. What can you tell me about Manchurians?"

The bull looked a little uneasy at this question as his superior officer regarded him with a narrowed eye.

"They...um...they're....the _enemy_?"

The tiger smiled. "They are a fine people – they are honourable and cultured, refined and dignified. Their soldiers are some of the fiercest I've ever come across; the women are also as beautiful as they are loyal to their husbands. They are endlessly fascinating and were these any different circumstances, I would not hesitate sharing a cup of afternoon tea with one of them.

"As of now however, each Manchurian you come across has a single mission, a single order, a single purpose in life – that, gentlemen, is to kill you."

The sound of a sword being drawn slowly caused each soldier to stand straighter than usual.

"Your mission is to kill him _first_," said the Captain as he held the finely crafted blade in front of Chao Gang who swallowed a lump in his throat.

Taking a step back, the white tiger placed the tip of his sword on the ground and drew a circle around his immediate perimeter, effectively trapping him inside its imaginary boundaries.

"Now, if anyone of you has the stones, come and attack me."

* * *

_**A/N part 2: And that's the end of this chapter! I can't really say when the next part is going to be up mostly because inspiration is really hard to come by for this fic and life is being a real bitch right now :P I am always writing when I get the chance though and have already planned out the ending.**_

_**Luo Cheng being called the Lightning of the West is a reference to the White Tiger Byakko who is the Guardian of the West along with the three other Sacred Beasts and the name Luo Cheng itself is a reference to Li Shimin's general, who was said to be the reincarnation of the White Tiger's star. The legend about white tigers being immortal is an actual legend as well.**_

_**Mantis' given name, **_Qián Guānchāng, _**is actually the proper version of **_Kwang Chai Caine, _**the character David Carradine (R.I.P.) played in the TV series kung fu; I chose it for Mantis because Kwang Chai Caine's nickname from his master which was "Grasshopper" and I couldn't resist the similarities :-) His "priceless" line is from the Visa commercials (if that wasn't obvious ^_^). **_

_**There's a couple of references to other fics here; Li the fox is based on Luna Goldsun's OC from "Memoirs Of A Master" with some notable differences, as you will see as the fic progresses . Tigress' given name, Cai Yun, is a reference to nievelion's name for her in "A Different Lesson." Luo Cheng is also partially based on Jiao Shang, an OC, again from Luna Goldsun's "That's Why They Call It The Present", as well as Li Shang from Disney's "Mulan". **_


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